Manchester City have seemingly been handed a boost in their pursuit of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic with the player refusing to sign a new lucrative deal to stay in Florence.
According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Manchester City are now the frontrunners to sign Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic, with the player keen on switching to Etihad next year. The 21-year-old is showing some reluctance in putting pen to paper on a new lucrative contract with the Viola as he dreams of a move to the Premier League with Man City and has kept his options open for the time being.
Fiorentina are concerned that he will not sign a contract to force his way out next summer. The talented forward’s current deal at Artemio Franchi Stadium expires in the summer of 2023. If he does not renew it, the club would be forced to let him leave.
Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso has recently revealed to TuttoMercato that he is still unclear whether Vlahovic would commit his future to Florence or not, “I do not know if he will sign, we are calm.We have been working on it for months, one day we are positive, others less,” he said.
Commisso went on to say that Fiorentina had made a record-high wages offer to sway the Serbian striker, stating, “He’s taking a big risk, I told him. We offer him a five-year contract at 40 million euros gross. The thing I say is that it would be the largest figure ever given to a Fiorentina player, including Batistuta and Rui Costa.”
Fiorentina signed Vlahovic from Serbian outfit Partizan Belgrade. Following his breakout season last term, he has emerged as one of the most lethal strikers in Italian football. The Serbian hitman netted 21 goals in 37 league appearances for La Viola in 2020/21. He has carried that form into the current season and has started on fire, scoring a total of six goals from seven games across all competitions.
This red-hot form has caught the attention of almost all top clubs across the continent. Manchester City were among the host of Premier League clubs linked with Vlahovic after failing to land Tottenham’s Harry Kane, but a move never materialized. However, the Sky Blues are still keeping track of his progress in Serie A.
It’s a well-documented fact that Citizens were desperate for a target-man who could provide them with that extra dimension going forward. Man City creates a plethora of chances each game but cannot convert them as they are missing a natural goalscorer. Vlahovic, at 21, certainly fits the bill and matches the profile that Pep Guardiola’s side demands at the moment.
Standing at 6’2″, one can easily mistake Vlahovic as a typical target man like Edin Dzeko, but he is much more of a complete package. He has a keen eye to pick a pass in midfield, can dribble lengths before finishing clinically, and be a marksman around the box sniffing for opportunities.
In many ways, the Serbian’s attributes are very similar to Dortmund’s Erling Haaland. With a lot of competition for the Norwegian sensation next summer, Vlahovic offers Manchester City a perfect alternative.