Arsenal are considering trying to sign Juventus ace Dusan Vlahovic in January as they see him as a more gettable target than a coveted Premier League star, TEAMtalk can reveal.
While Mikel Arteta has repeatedly heaped praise on Kai Havertz for leading Arsenal‘s attack, the north London team have been on the lookout for an out-and-out number nine.
Vlahovic has been a long-term target for the Gunners but for the time being, the 24-year-old remains at the Italian giants – with his contract running until 2026.
And their admiration for the Serbia international has not dwindled. TEAMtalk can reveal that Arsenal have reached out to his entourage again as Juve boss Thiago Motta is not entirely satisfied with how the forward fits into his system.
Conversely, Arteta sees Vlahovic as an ideal player for his style of play and the same could be said for Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak. While the Magpies want upwards of £115m (€139.5m, $146.6m) for their striker, we understand that the Bianconeri are open to offers for Vlahovic of around €65-70m (£53.6m-57.7m).
Our sources state Arsenal could even attempt to sign the former Fiorentina attacker in the January transfer window, but a summer move may be more likely.
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Juventus exit beckons?
Vlahovic is not struggling for game time this season, with the forward scoring nine goals in 17 appearances in all competitions.
However, he is yet to sign a new deal with the Turin-based outfit, potentially putting his long-term future there in doubt.
TEAMtalk previously revealed that Vlahovic’s wage demands are deemed too high at Juve, which potentially opens the door for the more cash-rich Premier League teams.
The Gunners are also said to be interested in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, among others.
It seems Arsenal may finally move to try and sign a number nine in their bid to end their 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
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Arsenal have been linked with a big-money move for West Ham forwardMohammed Kudus, following an impressive season and a bit at the Hammers.
However, the east London team are said to want £80m (€97m, $102m) for the Ghana international, whose contract runs until 2028.
Elsewhere, the Gunners are reportedly prepared to pay up to £54m (€65m, $68.7m) to land versatile Brighton forward Joao Pedro next year.
However, the Brazilian has also been linked with Liverpool and the Seagulls have proven they drive a hard bargain for their top talent.
Finally, Napoli are appearing to be upping their interest in backup Gunners defender Jakub Kiwior ahead of the January transfer window.
Vlahovic’s spell at Juventus