Lee Dixon Explains Why Arsenal Missing Out on Vinicius Junior Could Be Beneficial

Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon suggests that Vinicius Junior might have leveraged interest from Arsenal to secure a new deal with Real Madrid. Despite missing the Brazilian forward, Dixon insists the situation benefits Arsenal by sending a strong signal to Premier League competitors.

Vinicius Extends His Stay at Real Madrid

Recently linked with a high-profile transfer to Arsenal, Vinicius Junior chose to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu, signing a lucrative new contract. Dixon believes this whole negotiation was no accident, hinting that the player's camp played their cards carefully.

Player's Representatives Used Arsenal Interest to Their Advantage

In an interview with BestBettingSites, Dixon shared his doubts about the seriousness of the transfer. He thinks Vinicius’ agents capitalized on Arsenal’s genuine pursuit to negotiate improved terms in Spain.

"Funny that, isn’t it? Yeah, I think Vinicius’ team were playing the game. I don’t think Arsenal not getting him hurts us, and I actually think it did the club a lot of good to throw their hat in the ring because it shows real intent," Dixon said. "Whether it was a completely serious pursuit or not, it’s a very complicated transfer to pull off."

Dixon added that showing such interest benefits Arsenal’s reputation among rivals.

"Showing that level of interest was a good thing because, apart from the fans saying it was never going to happen, the insiders in the football world will know there was some truth in it. All of a sudden, people at Manchester City and Manchester United see Arsenal throwing their weight around. It gives other teams a bit of a wow moment – they’re thinking big, so we’ve got to step up too. So as a fan or player, missing out on him hasn’t hurt us at all."

Dixon Supports Christos Tzolis for Arsenal’s Left Wing

Discussing Arsenal’s current options on the left wing, Dixon highlighted new signing Christos Tzolis as a promising talent who could enhance the team’s attack.

"I’ve always said about that left-wing position – even the season before they won the league. I said (and it might have been a bit harsh), I don’t think you win the Premier League with Leandro Trossard as your starting left winger. Having said that, last season he played some really important games and scored some crucial goals. It has become much more of a squad game where he and Gabriel Martinelli have rotated and done really well together."

"But the player who stands out for me is Tzolis. I really like this kid. I think he’s that next level up from Trossard. Martinelli is a bit off-the-cuff – you don’t always know what you’re going to get. So I think we should give Tzolis a bit of free rein and see how he goes in the first six or seven games. Other than that, bring Ryan Giggs back, he wasn’t bad (laughs)!"

Upcoming Fixtures for Arsenal and Real Madrid

With transfer talk behind them, Arsenal now turns their attention to pre-season. They will face Como in a friendly on 12 August before competing against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, prepares for its season under coach Jose Mourinho. The team is set to play friendlies against Deportivo La Coruna and Schalke, with their La Liga campaign kicking off against Espanyol on 22 August.

• Club Friendlies:
• Arsenal vs Como: 12 Aug 2026, 20:30
• Deportivo de A Coruna vs Real Madrid: 12 Aug 2026, 21:00