Vinicius Junior, who signed a new contract at Real Madrid over the summer, was linked with Premier League champions throughout the summer, but no move materialised.
As Vinicius headed into the final 12 months of his previous deal at Santiago Bernabeu, reports stated that he wanted the switch to North London, a move now being called a play by the winger’s agent.
Real Madrid did not want to sell and manager Jose Mourinho locked down the Brazil star to fresh terms, shutting down the drama and easing the fire that had been raging between Vini Jr and the club.
Speaking to Boyle Sports, Petit stated that Arsenal dodged a bullet by missing out on Vinicius, a player who he thinks would have caused problems in the dressing room.
"I think Vinicius Jr is a really talented player but in terms of his mentality I am not sure he is a good fit for Arsenal. That’s just my opinion.
"I see so many humble players at Arsenal so if you all of a sudden bring in someone who is completely different, it can be a problem, especially with Arteta’s style of management.
"Look at what happened between Vinicius Jnr and Jose Mourinho in the last game between Real Betis and Real Madrid. It reminded me of what happened with Xabi Alonso last season when he didn’t want to shake his hand.
"Vinicius Jr receives so much stick from the fans, the press and social media but in those moments he is sending the wrong message. I think he is probably a bullet dodged for Arsenal looking at that moment.
"I would have loved to see a player with the talent of Vinicius Jnr play for Arsenal but with his mentality and his ego I think it would have made for a really difficult situation to cope with."
Vinicius signed a new six-year contract until June 2032, formally ending Arsenal's hopes in what was a huge blow as they also missed out on Bradley Barcola who joined Liverpool.