Dusan Vlahovic reportedly has reservations about joining Arsenal as he waits out for a club competing in the UEFA Champions League.
According to Eurosport, Dusan Vlahovic may not want to join Arsenal as he waits for a club playing in the UEFA Champions League. The in-demand Fiorentina striker does have plenty of high-profile teams chasing his signature, with a move in the pipeline for the summer transfer window.
Dusan Vlahovic is one of the premium forwards likely to be available for a transfer in the upcoming windows. Naturally, his ambition is to play for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. There is a particularly heavy interest stemming from Premier League clubs for the striker, and an intense transfer battle could be on the cards.
Arsenal took the initiative early on to open discussions with Fiorentina over a move, as the Gunners wanted to understand the dynamics of a deal. They were supposedly prepared to pay around €80 million for the Serb, although Fiorentina, in light of the demand for Vlahovic, are set to demand close to €100 million.
The Gunners would ideally wait until the summer as his asking price could decrease substantially. However, to protect their interest, a move in January by paying a premium price is also a possibility Arsenal are considering. However, Vlahovic and his camp have second thoughts about moving to the Emirates.
The Serbian striker wants to explore concrete offers before taking a call on his future, as he would prefer to join a team playing in and challenging for the Champions League, such as Manchester City. The Premier League champions certainly hold an interest in Vlahovic, although they might consider him as an alternative to Harry Kane or Erling Haaland.
Arsenal are expected to sign strikers for next season, as the futures of Alexandre Lacazette, Eddie Nketiah and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are highly uncertain. The Gabonese striker was stripped of club captaincy this week, and things increasingly point towards a move away from the Emirates for him.
Vlahovic is certainly one key option for Mikel Arteta, although Arsenal are looking at alternatives. Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is among the players on their shortlist, while Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak also features as a viable target for Arsenal.
As for Vlahovic, the race is certainly on, and Arsenal are very much a part of it. The Gunners will have to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League to boost their chances of signing him. If they fail to achieve the said target, they might have to consider alternatives for the Serb.
The Fiorentina man will certainly be evaluating a host of offers when the January window opens, although the understanding is that he would prefer to change clubs in the summer. The striker is vying for the top scorer prize in Serie A, and he currently leads the race ahead of Lazio’s Ciro Immobile and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez.