Reported Arsenal and Liverpool target Dusan Vlahovic has “no intention” of extending his contract with Serie A side Fiorentina, the striker’s agent has told Firenze Viola.
Talk about the worst-kept secret in European football.
Surely if Vlahovic wanted to stay in Florence he’d have signed a new deal months ago, when negotiations began.
The Serbia international is due to become a free agent in summer 2023 and, while that may seem a while away, Fiorentina are running out of time if they want to sell arguably the most coveted young talent in Italy for a monster fee.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Premier League rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are all weighing up January bids. Pep Guardiola’s league champions have seemingly turned their attention to younger alternatives after their high-profile failure to lure Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham all interested in Dusan Vlahovic
Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso admitted this month that Vlahovic had “not accepted” a new contract – a stance his representatives have now confirmed.
“We have no intention of negotiating the renewal with Fiorentina,” the striker’s camp explains, adding Fiorentina had already turned down a £50 million offer for a striker valued closer to £70 million.
“This summer we brought Fiorentina an offer of €60 million plus bonuses. There was already an agreement between us and the buying club – but President Commisso did not want to hear.
“Rocco replied by telling us Vlahovic is like a son to him, that he wouldn’t have sold him in any circumstances and he would have done everything to renew his contract.”
Tottenham have been linked with the stylish, confident Vlahovic for about six months, with Calciomercato and TMW both claiming in recent days that talks regarding a move to the north London club are under way.
However, Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici struck a different tone when quizzed about Vlahovic, telling Football Italia the Serie A hotshot was “not in Tottenham’s plans”.
Is that just a smokescreen?
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