Arsenal ‘talent of the century’ offered to Real Madrid for €100m as Vinicius Junior ‘replacement’ – report | OneFootball

One of Arsenal’s best players has been offered to Real Madrid as a potential replacement for Vinicius Junior, according to a speculative report in the Spanish media, and while the winger is starring for Mikel Arteta’s side at the moment, TEAMtalk analyses whether an exit in the summer of 2026 could be possible.

Arsenal and Madrid are aiming to have a successful 2025/26 campaign. While Arteta’s side are six points clear at the top of the Premier League table and have won all six of their Champions League games, Xabi Alonso’s team are only four points behind Barcelona in second place in LaLiga and are in a good position to progress to the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

However, Real Madrid are always on the lookout for top talents, and with the future of Vinicius Junior far from certain, the Spanish and European giants are aware of the need to find a potential replacement for the Brazil international winger.

Vinicius Junior is under contract at Madrid until the summer of 2027, and while there have been talks over a new deal, there is no agreement in place.

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has reported that Real Madrid will not sell Vinicius Junior in the January transfer window, but if Los Blancos are unable to reach an agreement with the winger by the end of the season, then a big decision will have to be made.

Defensa Central has now reported that Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli has been ‘offered as a replacement’ for Vinicius Junior to Madrid.

The Real Madrid-centric news outlet, which is often speculative, has claimed that ‘several agents’ have offered Martinelli to ‘various European clubs’, including Madrid.

Like Vinicius Junior, Martinelli is a Brazil international, and like the Madrid superstar, he is also a left-winger by trade.

Sources close to the Arsenal star are reported to have told Defensa Central that Martinelli’s value is around €100million (£87m, £117m).

Martinelli has been on the books of Arsenal since 2019 and is under contract at the north London club until the summer of 2027, with the option for a further year.

The 24-year-old Brazil international winger has made 249 appearances for Arsenal so far in his career, scoring 60 goals and giving 30 assists in the process.

Gabriel Martinelli exit from Arsenal in 2026 POSSIBLE

Defensa Central is not one of the most reliable sources, and their reports are often speculative.

Until and unless other major Spanish or English media outlets report about Arsenal, Martinelli and Madrid, we have to treat this rumour as just that – a rumour.

However, it would not be outlandish to suggest that Martinelli could leave Arsenal at the end of the season.

There have been consistent murmurs about the future of the winger at the Emirates Stadium.

In 2019, then Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was blown away by Martinelli and dubbed the winger as a “talent of the century”, while also describing him as “really unbelievable”, as quoted in Metro at the time.

While Martinelli did extremely well in his younger years at Arsenal, his progress has not been as expected in recent times.

True, the winger scored a hat-trick against Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday, but it must be noted that Arsenal manager Arteta has handed Martinelli just six starts in the Premier League and only three starts in the Champions League so far this season.

CaughtOffSide reported back in September that Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta was considering selling Martinelli in 2026.

While our transfer insider, Dean Jones, reported in October that Arsenal were not planning to sell Martinelli in the January transfer window, rumours refuse to go away.

Journalist Sercan Hamzaolu reported before Christmas that “Arsenal has decided to sell Gabriel Martinelli,” adding that the winger “will be offered to Fenerbahce”.

However, Arsenal boss Arteta has consistently praised Martinelli, whose hat-trick at the weekend shows how important he still is to the team.

Arsenal need all their players available this season, as they aim to win the Premier League and the Champions League.

It would come as a shock if Arsenal sell Martinelli this month, but there is no smoke without fire: an exit in the summer of 2026 could be on the cards.

Meanwhile, sources have told our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, about Manchester City’s immediate plans on Rodri, amid interest from Real Madrid in the Spanish midfielder.

A reputable Spanish journalist has revealed whether Real Madrid plan to sack Xabi Alonso after the defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.