Arsenal want to sign player directly from Spurs as talks opened over sensational transfer

Arsenal have reportedly made an enquiry to sign a senior player directly from Spurs for the first time in 49 years.

The Gunners were dealt a significant blow on Thursday when it emerged that Vinicius Junior had agreed to a bumper new six-year contract with Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old had entered the final 12 months of his existing deal at the Bernabeu and contract talks had stalled, but the two parties reached an agreement after a crisis meeting at the club's training ground.

Arsenal were ready to step in and were believed to have the financial power to bring him to the Emirates Stadium in what would have been one of the biggest transfers in Premier League history.

But they will now have to look elsewhere to add further signings during a window which has already seen them sign winger Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis and, seemingly soon, Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes.

One other position where Arsenal are currently light in numbers is at centre-back, with William Saliba set to miss the opening months of the season after undergoing back surgery.

Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera will likely form a defensive partnership in Saliba's absence, while permanent arrival Piero Hincapie - who was on loan last season - and Jurrien Timber can also play there if required.

But Hincapie and Timber were often preferred at full-back last season, and it appears that manager Mikel Arteta wants a more long-term solution there which would send shockwaves through the Premier League.

'The only way would be...' - Arsenal plotting shock Spurs transfer

That's according to Fabrizio Romano, who claims that Arsenal want to complete a sensational move to sign Spurs captain Cristian Romero this summer.

He says that the Gunners have enquired about a move for Romero, though have been told that Spurs would prefer to sell the Argentine abroad. Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are both interested in signing the 28-year-old.

"I expect Arsenal to sign a centre-back," Romano said on his YouTube channel. "For sure, Arsenal are looking at centre-backs on the market. This could be probably one of the next priorities - we will see about the winger, of course.

"Arsenal spoke to the agents of Romero. They asked for information on Romero. The relationship between Arsenal and Tottenham is, obviously, a complicated relationship. It's way easier for Tottenham to give the green light to Atletico Madrid.

"Tottenham don't want to sell to Arsenal. The only way would be a historic green light from Tottenham. Let's see what's going to happen."

He adds that Atletico are now 'favourites' to sign the centre-back and are now negotiating with Tottenham, while Inter Milan's interest has stalled while they continue to attempt to sell Benjamin Pavard.

There remains the possibility, though, that neither club can get a deal over the line - which could bring Arsenal back into play.

The last senior player to play for Spurs and then Arsenal is Sol Campbell, who left White Hart Lane as a free agent in the summer of 2001 before infamously being unveiled as Arsene Wenger's newest signing at a hastily-arranged press conference - a move which still draws the significant ire of Spurs fans today.

Sol Campbell was unveiled by Arsenal at a press conference in August 2001 (Image: Getty)

William Gallas went in the opposite direction nine years later after departing Arsenal on a free.

But the last player to be transferred directly from Spurs to Arsenal was goalkeeper Pat Jennings back in 1977, with Spurs deciding to sell the Northern Irishman after they were relegated from the First Division.

Jennings ended up making over 300 appearances for the Gunners before retiring from club football in 1985, before returning to Spurs to play for their reserve side in preparation for Northern Ireland's 1986 World Cup campaign.