Vlahovic has entered the final 18 months of his contract with Juventus and is unlikely to extend his deal. Partly because he is by far the club’s highest-paid player, partly because Juventus — who registered losses of €322.9m (£272.4m) over the past two season – have been actively working to balance the books. It’s a very different situation to when they signed him for €70m (rising to €80m with bonuses) in June 2022 and he was seen as the last piece of the puzzle. Complicating matters for the Bianconeri –– and giving them urgency to move him on — is his contract structure, which saw his salary balloon from €7m net (around €250,000 in weekly gross terms) to €12m (approximately €400,000 in weekly gross terms) this season. Shifting him would bring substantial savings, in addition to a transfer fee.
Vlahovic, 24, is a rare player: a tall, strong, athletic and technically gifted target man who is just entering the prime of his career. In four seasons at Juventus he has scored 53 goals in 124 games, despite playing under four different managers during a difficult period for the club.
You imagine he would need to take a pay cut to join Arsenal (or any other club) but that’s doable, in exchange for bonuses and a long-term deal. Juventus would presumably be looking for a fee in the €60m range, considering his value on their books is around €20m. They would also need to find a replacement as the long-term injury to their other striker, Arek Milik, means there are no other recognised centre-forwards on their books.
OTHER RUMORS
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What do Real Madrid need in the January transfer window?
Alex Kirkland details the areas Real Madrid could look to improve their squad in the transfer window.
– Chelsea have told Bayern Munich that they want a transfer fee of £65m if Christopher Nkunku is to leave the club. Meanwhile, Chelsea want Bayern’s 19-year-old forward, Mathys Tel. (The Athletic)
– Manchester United’s rivals could try to capitalise on their profit and sustainability concerns with offers for academy graduates Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. (Daily Telegraph)
– AC Milan have the most pronounced interest in signing Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, on loan until the end of the season, but Barcelona are his priority. Borussia Dortmund and Juventus have distanced themselves from the 27-year-old and the Red Devils are now awaiting a formal offer. (Sky Sports)
– Brazilian defender Vitor Reis has said farewell to his Palmeiras teammates as he prepares to join Manchester City for €40m. (Globoesporte)
– Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is expected to travel to Paris on Wednesday to complete his €60m move to Paris Saint-Germain. (Ansa)
– Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea and Liverpool are looking at 19-year-old Nurnberg striker Stefanos Tzimas, who could be available for about €20m. (Sky Sports Deutschland)
– Newcastle scouts have been watching former Chelsea central defender Fikayo Tomori at a number of AC Milan games and could make a move to sign him. (Football Insider)
– West Ham are looking at Nurnberg centre-back Finn Jeltsch. Other teams in the Premier League and the Bundesliga are also interested in the 18-year-old, but a summer transfer is more likely. (Florian Plettenberg)
– Guimaraes right-back Alberto Costa has arrived in Turin to complete his €12m transfer to Juventus. Costa, 21, is expected to undergo a medical before signing a contract with the Bianconeri until June 2029. (Tuttosport)
– Borussia Dortmund will have to increase their €35m offer if they are to land Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio in this transfer window. Inacio, 23, is under contract until June 2027 and has a €60m release clause. (A Bola)