Transfers: 3 alternative destinations for Juventus & Arsenal target Vlahovic

If reports emerging on Tuesday are to be believed, Fiorentina frontman Dusan Vlahovic is destined for a Juventus transfer. 

The Serbia international has been in remarkable form this season, continuing where he left off in 2020/21 to lead the Capocannoniere race with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile on 17 strikes.

Both frontmen are five clear of Giovanni Simeone and may well slug it out for the top scorer’s award. Vlahovic’s form has not gone unnoticed, with a host of clubs linked to the 21-year-old in recent months. 

Arsenal seemed to intensify their pursuit of the talented striker at the turn of the year, but it appears he is edging closer to Turin to play for the Old Lady. 

While these two sides looked to be the only two clubs that made a concerted effort to sign the Serb, which sides may have missed a trick not pursuing the frontman?

With Mauro Icardi inspiring little confidence and Kylian Mbappe expected to depart for Real Madrid in the summer, the Parisians could have opted to sign Vlahovic now or in the summer.

The Argentinean is the club’s only recognised centre-forward but is hardly trusted to lead the line and his contract enters its final two years in the summer.

Vlahovic is not only younger but arguably has a higher ceiling than the South American.

Significant attention has been given to the ages of the Reds’ top forwards and the length of their contracts in the last 12 to 18 months.

The pair of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are nearing 30 while Roberto Firmino just clocked 30 in October and all three have around 18 months to run on deals expiring in June 2023.

Indeed, Jurgen Klopp’s team have to rebuild at some point and Vlahovic could have been a young frontman to come in and give the Merseyside giants another dimension up top.

Admittedly, this would prompt a few raised eyebrows owing to Robert Lewandowski’s presence at FC Hollywood. However, this is not an entirely bizarre suggestion. 

The Poland superstar is now 33 — turns 34 in August — and will enter the final year of his current deal with the Bundesliga heavyweights in the summer.

Even though Erling Haaland remains a potential target for Die Bayern, the Fiorentina man could have been a cheaper alternative for the German side who will have to replace Lewandowski sooner or later.

Theoretically, Vlahovic’s age meant he could have been a target for Julian Nagelsmann’s side in the summer, seemingly as their star striker’s long-term replacement and Haaland alternative.