Gianluca Gazzoli is among those who had hoped Juventus and Dusan Vlahovic would reach an agreement over a new contract, as he believes the striker still has more to offer in a Juventus shirt.
The Bianconeri signed Vlahovic at the beginning of 2022 when he was regarded as one of the best strikers in world football. Arsenal were also keen to add him to their squad at the time, but the Serbian chose to complete a move from Fiorentina to Turin.
Hopes of a Juventus return remain
Vlahovic arrived midway through a season in which he looked capable of finishing as the leading scorer in Italian football. Expectations were high that he would help Juventus return to winning major trophies and establish himself as the club’s leading forward.
However, things did not develop as many had anticipated. His contract expired at the end of last month after he and Juventus failed to reach an agreement over a new deal, leaving him without a club.
There have since been suggestions that Vlahovic could return to Juventus and sign a fresh contract before the current transfer window closes. Such a move would represent an unexpected reunion after the two parties were unable to agree on an extension.
Gazzoli shares his thoughts
As quoted by Tuttojuve, Gazzoli said:
“I feel so sorry for Vlahovic if I have to be honest because he is one of those players who when he arrived at Juve brought a great enthusiasm and then probably something didn’t work out and I dreamed and still dream of seeing instead a beautiful epilogue of this story which also means something beautiful for Juve. He had the chance to get to know him and also see him practice this year and he is one of those players I would also have liked to invite to Basement because he also has a very important life story.So I would have liked him to stay and then take Juve to other places besides where we’ve been in recent years.”
Gazzoli’s comments reflect the belief that Vlahovic’s story at Juventus may not be over. While his first spell did not meet expectations, there remains hope among some observers that the striker could still enjoy a successful ending with the Bianconeri if a new agreement is reached.