Arsenal star decides to leave club after contract issues

The 33-year-old midfielder has featured in 78 games across all competitions, establishing himself as a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad since making the switch from Chelsea in 2023 for a fee of £12 million.

However, Jorginho’s contract, signed last May, is set to expire at the end of the current season, and discussions regarding a potential extension have come to a standstill.

In January, the Italy international expressed interest in leaving Arsenal early, but the Gunners turned down a late approach from Brazilian side Flamengo. Arteta was determined to keep the experienced midfielder for the remainder of the campaign.

Although Arsenal had hoped to persuade Jorginho to extend his stay by another year, the situation remains uncertain. His agent has confirmed that discussions with the club are scheduled to take place this month.

‘From April 15, I will begin talks with clubs in England, including Arsenal, as well as teams from Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil,’ Jorginho’s representative Joao Santos said at the end of March.

As per Fabrizio Romano, negotiations regarding Jorginho’s future at Arsenal have reached a deadlock, and his departure from the club this summer seems inevitable.

The experienced midfielder, who has only started nine league matches this season, was recently seen in Rio de Janeiro.

He has been vocal about his wish to return to Brazil, his birthplace, as his career winds down. Flamengo are reportedly prepared to offer Jorginho a three-year contract, and the player has personally discussed the potential move with head coach Felipe Luis, the former Chelsea defender.

Flamengo have identified Jorginho as their top candidate to replace Erick Pulgar, the Chilean international expected to leave in the summer.

Although Palmeiras have also expressed serious interest, Flamengo have taken the lead in the race to secure the Euro 2020 winner’s signature.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are looking to finalize a transfer for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi ahead of the 2025/26 season, and discussions about extending Thomas Partey’s contract are progressing well.

Asked whether there had been any development with Partey last week, Arsenal boss Arteta told reporters: ‘Yes, there is progress with all the players.

‘I’ll leave that to [sporting director] Andrea [Berta] and the club to decide and to talk about.’

Pressed for greater clarity on Partey’s contract situation, Arteta said: ‘The intention is very clear. ‘I’ll leave that to Andrea and the club to take a step forward.’