Arsenal midfielder Jorginho is set to leave the club at the end of the season after failing to reach an agreement over a contract extension.
Jorginho set for Arsenal exit with Flamengo lining up Three-Year deal
The 33-year-old Italian, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January 2023 for £12 million, has been a steady and experienced presence in Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Despite his contributions on and off the pitch, Arsenal have been unable to reach fresh terms with the Euro 2020 winner, whose contract expires this summer.
Jorginho had initially expressed a desire to leave in January, with Brazilian club Flamengo showing strong interest.
However, Arsenal opted to keep him for the second half of the campaign, valuing his leadership and depth in midfield.
Since then, talks of a possible one-year extension continued behind the scenes — but according to Fabrizio Romano, negotiations have broken down completely.
His agent, Joao Santos, confirmed last month that discussions would be held with clubs across England, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil.
While multiple options were explored, Flamengo have emerged as the frontrunners and are prepared to offer Jorginho a three-year deal.
The midfielder was even spotted in Rio de Janeiro recently and is believed to have personally spoken to Flamengo head coach Felipe Luis.
Jorginho, who has made 78 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions, has started just nine league games this season.
With his role in the squad becoming increasingly limited and the club planning a midfield revamp — including a potential deal for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and a contract extension for Thomas Partey — it seems the writing is on the wall.
Palmeiras were also in the race but have reportedly fallen behind Flamengo in the pursuit. For Jorginho, a return to his roots and a fresh challenge in Brazil could be the perfect way to close out an illustrious career.
As Arsenal prepare for the future, they will bid farewell to a respected professional who gave his all in red and white.
