Several members of the Arsenal hierarchy feel Dusan Vlahovic was simply stringing the club along during January in order to seal his transfer from Fiorentina to Serie A rivals Juventus.
That’s according to the Daily Mail, who note the Gunners ‘threw the kitchen sink’ at trying to sign the Serbian. Mikel Arteta and the north London board felt the 22-year-old would be the answer to their striker issues as they plot out the next chapter at the Emirates Stadium.
Alexandre-Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah will both be out of contract this summer, yet must now lead the line. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had struggled for form all season, but has now left for Barcelona for free. The Gabon stars’ exit exit saving £350k-a-week in wages.
Vlahovic would be leading the line had January ended as Arsenal hoped, yet sealed a €70m (£58m) transfer to Juventus from Fiorentina. The fee can also rise by another €10m (£8.5m) after future add-ons. While the Bianconeri further paid €11.5m (£9.5m) in additional costs.
Reports by Italian publication Ansa during January suggested the Gunners were also willing to pay €70m (£58m) upfront for Vlahovic. But Arteta faced two key hurdles as the forward was unconvinced by the project. Arsenal also refused to pay his agent €18m (£15m) in fees.
The Daily Mail add the fee his representative, Davide Torchia, wanted was also too much for Tottenham. While Vlahovic demanded a £160k-a-week salary after tax to leave Italy.
Arsenal felt Vlahovic used club to seal Juventus transfer from Fiorentina
Arteta will now have to address the striker situation at the Emirates at the end of the term. He faces replacing Aubameyang and possibly Lacazette and Nketiah. So, the Spaniard will hope Folarin Balogun thrives during his Middlesbrough loan to take one of the three roles.
But in the meantime, Arsenal chiefs are reeling from a sense Vlahovic used them to seal his transfer to Juventus from Fiorentina. The Bianconeri always proved to be the forward’s dream destination away from the Viola. And, ultimately, he got the move he wanted most.
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