Arsenal are one of the clubs monitoring Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, whose contract expires on July 1, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
The Serbian ace has been with the Bianconeri since January 2022, but his future is uncertain after he snubbed a contract renewal beyond the summer.
Vlahovic reportedly wants £7 million per year to stay, but the Bianconeri have only offered £5m annually. As a result, the striker is set to leave on a free transfer.
Atletico Madrid have been offered his services through an intermediary in the last 24 hours, but they are not alone in the race for the 26-year-old marksman.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Arsenal are among the top European clubs closely monitoring his situation.
Vlahovic talk could be agent-driven
Vlahovic was a top target for the Gunners in the winter of 2022. However, the ex-Fiorentina man turned down the club to join Juventus in a deal worth £67 million.
It was considered a huge coup for the Turin giants at the time, given Vlahovic had netted a stunning 33 goals for Fiorentina in Serie A in the previous year (2021).
Since then, Vlahovic has never met expectations. The Serbian has scored just 66 goals from 166 appearances across all competitions for the Bianconeri.
He has also struggled with nagging injury concerns. The ongoing campaign has undoubtedly been his worst, with 25 games missed due to an adductor problem.
Vlahovic may have lowered his wage demands to £134,000 per week, but his injury record and inconsistent finishing mean he is no longer an elite striker.
His agent could be behind the speculation linking him with Bayern, Barcelona and Arsenal. He could be eyeing a huge commission for his client’s Bosman move.
Mundo Deportivo claim that Atletico could also look at cheaper options, considering the striker would want a significant signing-on fee as he will be out of contract.
Hence, we don’t believe Arsenal will return for Vlahovic with the high financial costs involved, despite the lack of a price tag. His previous snub won’t be forgotten, either.
Stats from Transfermarkt