Arsenal could be about to get another chance to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer.
Dusan Vlahovic has been unable to reach terms on a new contract with Juventus, meaning the former Arsenal target will become available as a free agent at the end of the month.
The Serbia international has spent just over four years at the club, but according to Gazzetta dello Sport, significant differences over wage expectations have resulted in the two parties going their separate ways. Despite Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti’s public desire to retain the 26-year-old, the renewal talks appear to have reached a dead end.
A Proven Goal Scorer Entering His Prime
Vlahovic first made his reputation at Fiorentina, where his performances convinced Juventus to secure his services. Once in Turin, he quickly established himself as a potent No.9, netting 41 goals in just a season and a half. In total, the striker has recorded an impressive 68 goals in 168 appearances for Juventus and was recognised as Serie A’s finest striker in 2024.
His honours at the club remain modest by Juventus standards — just a solitary Coppa Italia — as the once-dominant Italian giants have experienced a period of relative transition.
Arsenal’s Long-Standing Interest
Vlahovic was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in January 2022. At the time, the striker ultimately opted to remain in Serie A, partly because he was eager to join a club competing in the Champions League — something Arsenal had not achieved in the four seasons prior to that window.
Now, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Arsenal return as reigning Premier League champions and are actively looking to strengthen their squad for another tilt at domestic and European success. Vlahovic, valued at €35 million (£30 million) by Transfermarkt, represents a rare opportunity: a high-quality, physically imposing striker available on a free transfer.
Spalletti’s Regret
Luciano Spalletti, who took charge of Juventus midway through the season, has been vocal about the importance of keeping the Serbian forward.
“We’ve suffered the loss of Vlahovic like the bread and butter,” he said. “You can’t play football without someone with his characteristics, without a strong, physical threat who scores goals.”
Spalletti confirmed the club had attempted to reach an agreement and hoped to try again, but those efforts now appear to have been unsuccessful.
What This Means for Arsenal
For Mikel Arteta’s side, the potential arrival of Vlahovic would add a powerful focal point to the attack. His combination of size, technical ability, and clinical finishing could provide the depth and different profile Arsenal have occasionally lacked in big matches. Coming off the back of a Premier League title-winning campaign, signing a proven goal scorer on a free transfer would be viewed as significant business.
Whether Arsenal move decisively will depend on their broader transfer strategy and the player’s own ambitions, but the door that closed in January 2022 may well reopen this summer under far more favourable conditions for the Gunners.
The transfer market rarely offers elite strikers of Vlahovic’s calibre for nothing. If Arsenal secure his signature, it could send a powerful message across the Premier League.