Manchester City have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Dusan Vlahovic over a potential €80 million move this summer.
According to French footballing journalist, Guillaume MP, Manchester City have one step closer towards their quest to sign Dusan Vlahovic. The English champions have apparently reached a verbal agreement with the 21-year-old Fiorentina striker and his agent ahead of a summer move that could be worth around €80 million.
Manchester City closing in on the capture of Vlahovic could serve as a major relief for Tottenham. The Citizens were indeed the frontrunners to sign Tottenham forward Harry Kane this summer, but the arrival of the Fiorentina man could see the Englishman remain in north London for yet another season.
Interestingly, Vlahovic himself was earlier linked with a move to Tottenham. But his hefty price tag was always going to be way too expensive for the Lilywhites, especially with Kane’s future still remaining unresolved. Nevertheless, the north London giants will be more than happy keeping hold of Kane for another season rather than missing out on the 21-year-old Serbian forward.
As for Manchester City, their potential capture of Vlahovic from the Serie A outfit should be enough to fix their problems in the vacant number nine role, following the departure of Sergio Aguero to Barcelona in May.
Formerly of Partizan Belgrade, Vlahovic has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence at Fiorentina recently. The 2020/21 campaign turned out to be a breakout season for him, with the forward notching up 21 goals in Serie A. His imposing presence and goalscoring prowess have certainly caught the eye of Pep Guardiola.
At the same time, though, the Serbian international is a risky investment as well for Manchester City given his lack of experience at the highest level of football. There are genuine concerns over whether or not the forward can settle into the more physical nature of the Premier League.
His €80 million price tag has also left many bewildered, considering the fact that he has only had one good season in Italy. Guardiola, though, has a solid track record of improving players, though it will be interesting to see whether Manchester City actually go through with the negotiations.
Recent reports surrounding Robert Lewandowski’s desire to leave Bayern Munich will certainly force the Citizens to reconsider. They may not face too much competition either, with Chelsea, for one, managing to re-sign Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, Vlahovic is not the only Fiorentina player being linked with a move to England this summer. His fellow compatriot Nikola Milenkovic has emerged as a top target for Tottenham and it won’t be surprising to see them both join the Premier League this month, although Milenkovic has penned a new deal with the Serie A outfit.
