"Arsenal are VERY CAUTIOUS!" Ben Jacobs EXPLAINS How Arsenal can SIGN Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid!

You can tell us all about Vinicius Junior.What is the likelihood, Ben, that he could be Premier League bound in the next couple of weeks or so?

Yeah, I think this is a fascinating one, because it's true that Jose Mourinho would rather keep Vinicius Junior, but it's a bigger issue than what a manager thinks, because he's not agreed to a new deal.And Real simply don't want to lose him on a free transfer.So we're in a scenario whether now or certainly at some point if he's still a Real player in the window shuts.But within the next weeks or months, Vinny Junior's either got a sign or ultimately Real will be prepared to sell him.And I think the Arsenal interest perversely helps them because they can say that to Vinny Junior.Now there's interest, we will sell you or certainly tell you we want you to leave unless you sign a new deal and now the games can begin so Arsenal are very cautious about this because the inquiry hasn't even yet hit Real Madrid so they don't know the price but some talks have taken place on the player side and tentatively Arsenal are prepared to enter that race and now we have to see what extreme the narrative takes.

Is it leverage new deal or is it no new deal and then Arsenal suddenly get the green light to start negotiating with Real Madrid.In addition to all of this you've got some Jose Mourinho input and here's the irony because Mourinho would rather keep Vini Junior but sources tell me he sees Kylian Mbappe as going on that left wing and then another number nine which means that Real could have a scenario where Vini Junior is on a competition with Mbappé for the left and Mbappé would start, you would think, the big games and then if Yann Diamandé arrives he plays on the right or Mbappé stays leading the line, Diamandé comes in and he can play on the left and he's got the same agency as Vini Junior.So you can probably understandhearing all these different permutations how complicated it is. it is, and I think even more so because the same agency that could facilitate a Vinnie Jr. exit are also looking after the Yandier -Mandé deal, and Real Madrid are pushing to try and close that.So Arsenal view Vinnie Jr. as a viable option, but they have other targets in mind in case all of this bluster just leads to Vinnie Jr. signing a new deal.

Jose probably can't believe his luck.He's rocked up at Real Madrid.He's got Mbappe, he's got Vini, he's got Bellingham, he might have Diamonde.He's probably thinking, I'm the luckiest man in the world.

I'm just curious about Mourinho because for the last few clubs, he's not really set them alight, hasn't he?And he's going back to Real Madrid.And I'm just thinking, is he the kind of character that can manage those players?

Yeah, he's the kind of character that can manage the players, but he's the kind of character that can fall out as well with them.So it's going to be about chemistry and momentum.And this is why I think right now, if you're Mourinho, of course, you're saying keep everyone.But as new names come through the door, he won't want that.pre -season lack of chemistry or politics or friction that could arise.Because if Rodri comes in, then Mourinho's either got to say it's Chiomeni and Rodri, and then Camavinga's thinking, wait a minute.

Or if Mourinho chooses not to play Chiomeni and Rodri together, should Rodri arrive, of course, and it remains an if, then Chiomeni, who's verbally agreed a new contract, might turn around and go, wait, when I signed up to that new contract, I wasn't aware another defensive midfielder would come in.It's the same on the left.If Mbappe doesn't lead the line and goes to left wing, what does Vinny Junior think?If Diamande comes in on the right, what does Brahim Diaz believe about his pathway and game time?So the upside is it's unbelievably exciting.Don't forget people like Dumfries.

Canate and Bernardo Silva have also arrived but the challenge is this Real Madrid squad is getting bigger and bigger at the moment and if Mourinho is to succeed and I have no doubt that he can handle the pressure of a club he already knows how to succeed at but key for me is going to be squad size and squad dynamic and that is why my expectation is if Real keep motoring at this pace in the market then going to be multiple outgoings and this is where there could be encouragement for teams looking at Kamavinga.Let's see what happens with Chiomeni because if he signed a deal he signed a deal but if the ink isn't dry we have to keep that situation just a glimmer open and then again with Vini Giugni are the same so outgoings are going to be really important for Mourinho otherwise his squad size and dynamic in terms of egos are both just going to be too big.

What's the situation I'm always interested about, we were just talking before about Rodri, is that a case of he does want to go or is that a case of his agent trying to increase the money that he wants at City?What's the situation there?

No, Rodri wants to go, he's respectful to Man City and usually it would have been Rodri speaks to Pep Guardiola and Pep says I won't unduly stand in your way and then it goes up to board level to negotiate but Enzo Maresca may have a different perspective because he's brand new and who wouldn't want the best player at the last World Cup and after this back surgery Rodri will speak further to Man City but my information is it's not really agent noise it's Rodri looking at his age and for family reasons as much as football ones to go to Spain and therefore it would be a strong option for him at Real Madrid and he would welcome an offer but is he gonna throw his toys out the pram is he gonna force his way out of Man City if they say not for sale at any price that remains to be seen because if he doesn't sign a new deal remember he can wait foryear and then take his pick of clubs anyway in the summer of 2027.

Ben, what else is going to be dominating the agenda today in the world of transfers?

Well, I think we've got a few things to look out for.One is Bruno Guimaraes, because Arsenal are going to accelerate on that, according to my information.Eddie Howe said yesterday, after Newcastle United's draw against Gateshead in a friendly, that he couldn't guarantee that Bruno wasn't going to leave.And yet he added that, of course, he wants to keep the player.There's been a lot of bluster around this one as well.And there's kind of semantics at play.

Newcastle would say no formal contact.Arsenal sources basically reveal that they've been in talks for quite some time.It's just intermediaries are involved.And then is it direct club to club talks if it's owner to owner or intermediary and super agents to senior leadership team?And that's what Eddie Howe was alluding to when he said yesterday that the conversations taking place are not something that he's part of.But I think this is going to move and move quickly because Newcastle Arsenal and Guimaraes all want clarity and therefore if it gets done it could be very quick and if it doesn't then Arsenal may walk away and move on to other targets so I'd be surprised if this one drags out through the month of August as with Alexander Izak it could be 7 or 14 days and then as the season starts we get a bit more clarity and Yandier Mande is of course the other one to keep an eye on because Real Madrid are hoping to reach an agreement within 24 to 48 hours, PSG are still there as well and that transfer as we've already alluded to could have a knock -on effect for other business.

There's a lot of players leaving Newcastle I don't see many going back into Newcastle.

Yeah, Bamba arrived, though, and that's the central midfielder, and he's viewed as a top, top talent from Monaco.And there's a heavy investment there in 40 million euros.And then from Newcastle's perspective, their finances are fine.So the upside for Newcastle, even though we've not seen it yet, is they can be very aggressive in the market.And this isn't only about players leaving.It's about Newcastle United being able to spend some of the money.

So Sandro Tonali, 100 million package, 92 .5 million upfront.Anthony Gordon, money.with incomings as well between now and the end of the window.

Ben, thank you as always for the information.What I most took away, though, from all of that is I'm going to go and buy myself a massive box of Cheerios after this.

Thanks a lot, always a pleasure.Have a good day.Enjoy EFCON.

Bye, Ben.It's because he had his Cheerios and he was in good spirits there, wasn't he?He was in great...

I think that's the secret of Cheerios.Yeah.If you look on the side of the box, it says...

It says, yeah, good transfer updates if you have some Cheerios.Yeah.