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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
John Brewin

Vinícius Júnior and a fantasy world of transfers in the football lull

Vinícius Júnior during training with Real Madrid
Vinícius Júnior, earlier. Photograph: Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid/Getty Images

THE CAPTIVE VOID OF NOBLE RAGE

“We were so close … At the end of the day, really, they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse … It shows where we’re trying to aim for the club … There has been a lot of stuff written in the papers that you have to take on the chin I’m afraid – they should be talking about how well the England cricket team are playing at the moment.” Words said not by Mikel Arteta about Arsenal missing out on Vinícius Júnior after the Brazilian megastar signed a new Real Madrid contract, but by Glenn Hoddle in 2002, as Tottenham missed out on signing … yes, Rivaldo. That last sentence was probably a dead giveaway. Tottenham’s solution to the Brazilian-shaped hole in their transfer ambitions was to sign Robbie Keane to his boyhood club. What might Arsenal do next? Eye up Cristian Romero, you say?

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