Arsenal to Reignite Interest in Dusan Vlahovic, Striker Keen to Join Club

According to latest reports, Arsenal will look to reignite their interest in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic to bolster their squad for the upcoming season. Manager Mikel Arteta is planning to add another striker to the team’s squad and the Serbian serves as the perfect option.

Arsenal tried to sign Vlahovic in the winter transfer window of 2022. The 23-year-old was one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe. The North Londoners tried really hard to lure him to the Emirates Stadium but, Juventus succeeded in getting his signature as he opted to stay in the Serie A.

The Serbian international had incredible scoring statistics during his time at Fiorentina. His contribution helped the Seria A club secure Conference League football. Nevertheless, he has failed to keep up his goalscoring numbers following his arrival in Turin.

To put it in perspective, he scored 20 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions during his final half-year at Fiorentina. Whereas this season, he has scored 11 goals in 33 appearances in all competitions for Juventus (stats via Transfermarkt).

According to Journalist Pete O’Rourke (via GiveMeSport), Arsenal’s success this season has caught the eye of Dusan Vlahovic. The North London side are very close to winning the Premier League for the first time in the last two decades. The Serbian must have seen the magic that Mikel Arteta has weaved with his team. He may now have second thoughts about staying at Juventus.

The Gunners signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City by paying £45 million. It is almost half of what Fiorentina was demanding for the Serb. The Brazilian has certainly improved Arteta’s team offensively. Nonetheless, he still missed quite a few games because of injuries. The Gunners are looking for an option who will be able to cover in Jesus’s absence.

🔴⚪️ | 🖊: According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are once again interested in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

“Mikel Arteta is said to want a goalscoring striker ahead of next season and the Juventus star is his first choice.” 🇷🇸 (@caughtoffside) #AFC #COYG #Juventus pic.twitter.com/lDSQlcArca

— Punch Drunk Arsenal (@PunchDrunkAFC) April 7, 2023

Juventus are currently 7th on the Serie A table and are already out of the Champions League this season. There is a danger that they will miss out on European football next season. The Serbian striker joined the Old Lady to win trophies but the club have regressed in the past seasons. On the other hand, the Gunners have improved massively and it does look like a tempting project for any player.

Why Arsenal Should Try Again to Sign Dusan Vlahovic?

Gabriel Jesus has missed 15 matches this season due to injury. He still has 9 goals and 7 assists to his name in all competitions (stats via Transfermarkt). Eddie Nketiah did well to fill Jesus’s shoes. Nevertheless, it was still a lot to ask from Nketiah to score week in and week out with the limited experience he has in the top flight.

The North London side would have profited a lot more from a prolific striker such as Vlahovic instead of Nketiah. The support from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka would have helped the 23-year-old to score consistently for the Gunners.

The Serbian is very similar to Erling Haaland in terms of playing style and physical aspects. The Juventus forward is a proper number 9 who likes to spend time in the box, win headers, and score goals. On the other hand, Jesus is someone who likes to drop into the midfield and cause havoc with his dribbling. With Vlahovic, Arteta could have even experimented with playing two strikers in the same lineup.

It is safe to say that Vlahovic would get a better supply at Arsenal than at Juventus. Almost all the successful teams in the Premier League have a player who gets on the scoresheet almost every game. The Serbian could be that player for Arteta’s side if his wish to join the Gunners comes true in the summer.

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