Arsenal are now willing to spend big to win the race for a "world-class" striker, who manager Mikel Arteta is a fan of, according to a report.
Season-defining PSG clash on the horizon for Arsenal
The Gunners have fallen short in their pursuit of the Premier League title, and there is now a growing possibility that they won't even finish in second place, after suffering a 2-1 defeat at home against AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.
However, Mikel Arteta's side still have an outside chance of having a season for the history books, should they be able to overturn the one-goal deficit and beat Paris Saint-Germain to progress to the Champions League final on Wednesday night.
It will be a tall order for the north Londoners, however, and there is a feeling that a new striker may be required if they are to have a more successful 2025-26 campaign, having identified a number of potential targets.
Saka-Saliba-Arsenal-PSG Related
Arsenal and Berta eye move for £68m star if Saliba is sold to Real Madrid
Real Madrid are interested in the Arsenal defender.
One player on the shortlist is Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, with Arteta's side believed to be very keen on the Serbian, and there has now been a new update on their transfer pursuit.
According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now willing to make a significant bid to win the race for Vlahovic, who could be allowed to leave Juventus for a fee of around €50m - €60m (£43m - £51m) this summer, a fee the Gunners can 'easily afford'.
Dusan Vlahovic in action with Genoa's Koni De Winter
Arteta is a fan of the striker, with the Spaniard of the belief he could have the quality to help his side compete for major honours, and the fact that Juventus are open to a sale means it may not be too difficult to get a deal done.
The Serie A side are set to listen to offers for the forward, who currently earns a whopping £364k-per-week, which indicates wage demands could be a potential stumbling block.
Why "world-class" Vlahovic may not be the answer
It is clear that Arsenal are planning to bring in an out-and-out striker this summer, and there are some signs that Vlahovic could be a quality addition, having been lauded as "world-class" by journalist Siavoush Fallahi, courtesy of his performances in Italy.
However, the Belgrade-born striker hasn't exactly set the world alight this season, netting just nine goals in 26 Serie A outings, failing to score in his last six matches.
Competition Appearances Goals Assists
Serie A 26 9 4
Champions League 9 4 1
Italian Cup 2 1 0
While an asking price of £51m is reasonable, the fact the 25-year-old's wage demands could be high is another issue, and Arsenal may be better off making a move for a striker who has been in much better form this season.
Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres is an interesting option, having scored a remarkable 52 goals in 49 games this term, although there may be concern about the fact he is unproven in a major league, so there is no easy solution to Arsenal's striker search.