Vinícius Júnior to Arsenal doesn’t make sense. That’s why it may work | Jonathan Wilson

<p>Mikel Arteta’s team and the Brazilian star could be a perfect match. It also could be a risk that ends in disaster</p><p>Sometimes what is needed is something different.</p><p>There is a long history in football of counterintuitive thinking being successful, of the benefits of creative tension, of adding grit to the oyster to generate the pearl, but even so, the news that talks between Vinícius Júnior and Arsenal on personal terms are progressing comes as something of a shock. Mikel Arteta’s great followers of a blueprint adding a free spirit like the Brazilian? Really?</p><p><em>This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/20/sign-up-for-soccer-with-jonathan-wilson-his-free-weekly-newsletter-on-european-soccer">Subscribe for free here.</a></em></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/aug/03/arsenal-vinicius-transfer-real-madrid">Continue reading...</a>