Real Madrid's Brazil forward Vinicius Jr is settling into life under new manager Jose Mourinho with a smile on his face even as uncertainty swirls around his future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 26-year-old, who has been one of the lynchpins of Real Madrid's attack in recent years, gave an upbeat assessment of his second day of pre-season training under the Portuguese coach despite speculation linking him with a possible move to Arsenal.
"It has gone very well, getting to know the new coach and the new players, and training very hard," Vinicius told Real Madrid TV. "Mourinho wants me to be as I have always been: happy, cheerful and playing my football."
Vinicius' cheerful demeanor, however, masks a potentially thorny situation brewing behind the scenes.
He is in the final year of his Real Madrid contract, with Spanish and British media reporting that the club and player remain locked in negotiations while Premier League champions Arsenal explore a potential transfer.
Vinicius has scored 128 goals for Real and provided 100 assists, with the club reluctant to let one of their prized assets leave for free next year.
He had a busy summer playing for Brazil at the World Cup, where they were knocked out in the last 16, and his focus now is on preparing for the new campaign.
"We have to prepare physically so that during the season we have fewer injuries and can count on everyone," said Vinicius, who was Brazil's top scorer at the World Cup with four goals.
"It was a good training session and we all left very tired, but now it's time to rest for tomorrow. That's how pre-season is and we have to be ready."
