Arsenal mocked for eyeing up Vinicius Jnr transfer - 'You're not one of the big boys'

Arsenal have been told they're not "one of the big boys" by John Obi Mikel, who has mocked them for believing they could ever sign Vinicius Junior.

The Gunners were heavily linked with the Brazilian earlier this summer in what would've been a club-record move. Vinicius' contract was winding down and the Premier League champions were looking to seize on the uncertainty.

It would've been a blockbuster transfer had Arsenal pulled it off, but the player ultimately decided to extend his stay at the Bernabeu, leaving the north Londoners to look elsewhere in a bid to bolster their forward line.

But Mikel has laughed off the idea that Vinicius was ever going to move to Arsenal, insisting the club have got above their station after winning a first league title in two decades whilst still awaiting their first ever Champions League triumph.

The former Chelsea midfielder said on The Obi One Podcast: "I don’t know what the Arsenal fans were expecting. You win the league after 22 years and then you all of a sudden think: that’s it, you’ve arrived, you’re one of the big boys again. No, you’re not.

"They’ve just been humbled because I said it: there’s no way Vinicius Junior is leaving Real Madrid to go to Arsenal, a club that’s won one title in 22 years. This guy wins titles, he’s won lots of titles at Real Madrid. He wants to win titles season after season, the Champions League, La Liga, competing year after year and winning those titles.

"He’s tasted what it feels like winning the Champions League, Arsenal have never won the Champions League. Zero. You expect a player who has won the Champions League with Real Madrid to leave that."

Mikel believes that Real Madrid, who have Jose Mourinho at the helm once again, are assembling a team that can challenge for Europe's highest honour once again. They've already signed the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Yan Diomande.

Arsenal meanwhile have looked to build on their champion year and added Bruno Guimaraes at the weekend. The former Newcastle midfielder is their biggest capture of the summer so far, at £75m, and they're still in the market for a major frontline signing.

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