Could Arsenal really sign Vinicius Jr? What we know so far after shock transfer twist

Mikel Arteta said at the end of last season that he wanted Arsenal to be "very ambitious" in the transfer market.There are few moves the club could make that are more ambitious than pursuing Vinicius Jr, who has emerged as a target.Arteta has given the green light and the club's hierarchy are also understood to be on board with trying to bring Vinicius Jr to north London.It depends largely on Vinicius Jr’s contract situation at the Bernabeu. He has entered the final 12 months of his existing deal and so far there has been no breakthrough in negotiations over an extension.Real would not want to lose the 26-year-old for free in a year's time and so could decide to cash in this summer if Vinicius Jr indicates that he will not be renewing.That will play out in the coming weeks. Being linked with Arsenal will certainly not hurt his leverage in talks with Real, while it remains to be seen if Vinicius Jr does actually want to move at all.For the Gunners, being viewed as a potential destination for a genuine superstar and one of the best wingers in the world is further indication of the market they are now operating in as Premier League champions, even if it does feel like a very long shot.Read MoreIt has been a fairly frustrating summer so far, with Illan Meslier and Christos Tzolis the only two new additions to the squad.Arsenal have stuck firm on their valuation of players and have not moved particularly quickly when selling clubs have demanded more.That meant missing out on Morgan Rogers to Chelsea after deciding not to match the Blues' last-minute £117million swoop.Some will call it disciplined, others will say the club have been too passive. If Vinicius Jr does become available, there can be no half-measures. A massive financial package would be required.Even with only one year left on his contract, Real would demand a huge transfer fee for the Brazilian.The Gunners are willing to spend big on a marquee signing this summer and would have gone to £100m for Rogers.However, it is the wages for Vinicius Jr that would have the biggest consequences for the club.Vinicius Jr is understood to be paid around £400,000 a week at Real - a figure Arsenal would likely have to match at the very least.The club are reportedly willing to do so, and even go beyond that, to make him by far the best-paid player in Arsenal's history.Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were both handed contracts worth £350,000 a week to keep them at the club.Arsenal have had to stretch their structure over the past 12 months to keep their top players at the club.William Saliba's new contract last year is believed to have secured him a pay rise to about £250,000 a week.Bringing in Vinicius Jr on wages far beyond that would set a new benchmark for sporting director Andrea Berta and the club to contend with in negotiations.Declan Rice, for example, has two years left on his current deal. His representatives will be watching carefully to see how much the wage structure changes this summer.Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, both also earning well above £200,000 a week, are out of contract in 2028 as well.While Arsenal are willing to invest significantly this summer, that does rely on players being sold.Signing Vinicius Jr would stretch Arsenal’s finances significantly - but they might just decide it’s all worth itThe club spent more than £250m last summer and brought in just £9m. Finances were tight, so much so that Piero Hincapie was signed on an initial loan to push back that fee until the next financial year.Arsenal are looking to free up space on the wage bill. They would like to get Gabriel Jesus' salary of around £250,000 a week off the books, though they are holding out for a fee of close to £20m for a player with just 12 months left on his contract.There are doubts over Gabriel Martinelli's future at the club, as he enters the final two years of his deal. The Brazilian is on £180,000 a week.Signing Vinicius Jr would impact what other business the club could do this summer. Julian Alvarez has been viewed as Arteta's dream forward signing but an already difficult deal would become impossible.It would stretch the finances significantly. Arsenal want to sign a midfielder and a defender in addition to strengthening in attack, but targets might have to be adjusted.The £60m they have been quoted for Ezri Konsa would be viewed even more unfavourably. It also remains to be seen what it would mean for the protracted pursuit of Bruno Guimaraes.In isolation, Arsenal can afford the transfer fee for Vinicius Jr and appear willing to meet his wage demands, too.The knock-on effects of the move are what the club will be considering carefully.The parameters for contract negotiations with key players would have to change, along with plans the club had for signings in other positions this summer.For the most ambitious signing the club have ever made, and surely the biggest in Premier League history too, Arsenal might just decide it is all worth it.