Arsenal pipped rivals Tottenham to the services of highly-rated Real Madrid man Dani Ceballos over the summer, and it appears as if they attempted to bring another Madrid superstar to the Emirates during the recent window.
According to Brazilian outlet UOL, cited by Sports Witness, the Gunners, along with French giants Paris Saint-Germain, both contacted the La Liga heavyweights over highly-rated winger Vinicius Junior.
Both approaches were swiftly turned down by Madrid, with Zinedine Zidane since handing the teenager regular appearances in the first-team squad this season.
But would the 19-year-old have been a better option than club-record signing Nicolas Pepe?
Read Arsenal verdict
Both are exceptional talents, but we think that the Gunners have made the right decision by securing Pepe’s services instead of pushing for Junior.
The Ivorian enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Lille last season, justifying the £72 million price tag the Gunners eventually paid for his services over the summer.
He’s impressed during his opening appearances in the Premier League and will only get better in time, an exciting thought for all Arsenal fans.
Junior would more than likely have cost over £100 million if Madrid entertained negotiations, a huge fee for a player who has yet to consistently perform on the biggest stage.
He’ll more than likely go on to become a future star, however, it would have been a big risk to sign the Brazilian over the proven quality of Pepe.
