Arsenal in talks with Euro giants after Arteta identifies ‘No. 1’ striker target to replace Jesus

Arsenal are very interested in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic who could be on the move this month, as he isn’t favoured by manager Thiago Motta, per TEAMtalk sources.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani is set to sign for Juventus on loan until the end of the season and now, a winter exit for Vlahovic looks more likely.

Motta is keen to add another striker to his squad this month but that depends on whether Vlahovic is sold. He is only under contract until 2026 and isn’t willing to sign an extension.

TEAMtalk sources state that Vlahovic is Arsenal’s ‘No. 1’ striker target for this month, with Mikel Arteta understood to be a big admirer of the Serbian international.

As Liverpool did last summer with Federico Chiesa, Arsenal intend to try and negotiate a reduced price for Vlahovic, although they have limited time to thrash out a deal.

Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has just picked up a serious knee injury and Arteta is keen to bring in someone to cover for him.

We understand that Arsenal will gather further information on Vlahovic and intend to decide whether to make a concrete bid for the Juventus striker this week.

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Zirkzee won’t be Vlahovic’s replacement – sources

TEAMtalk understands that as of today (Wednesday), no other clubs are serious about Vlahovic. If Arsenal don’t choose to bid for him, it’s unlikely the striker will leave and Juventus won’t sign a new front man.

As previously reported, Juventus have shown tentative interest in Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee, but he is not a likely option for them this month.

Zirkzee has endured a difficult start to life with the Red Devils since his £36.5million switch from Bologna last summer. This has prompted speculation of a possible return to the Serie A.

However, sources state that Man Utd are reluctant to allow Zirkzee to leave and would only consider a permanent sale, or a loan with an obligation to buy.

This makes a Juventus move for Zirkzee difficult. If Man Utd bring in a new forward and soften their position towards the end of the window then there could be news, otherwise, he’ll stay at Old Trafford until at least June.

Vlahovic remains a player to keep an eye on for Arsenal fans but Juventus are want around €65million (£54.7m / $67.1m) for him this month, so it’ll be interesting to see how high the Gunners are willing to go with a bid, if they choose to submit one.

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IN FOCUS: What could Vlahovic bring to Arsenal?

By Samuel Bannister

Towering at 1.90m tall, it’s no surprise what kind of centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic is. If it’s a target man you want, this is the kind of player you’d design.

Renowned for his strength, Vlahovic excels with his hold-up play. But he doesn’t just stop there; although he won’t drop deep too often, this is a player with good ball-carrying abilities as well, making him extremely dangerous on transition if he can pin his marker and change the direction of play.

What about his finishing, though? Despite his potential, Vlahovic hasn’t always been the most prolific frontman. His best period as a goalscorer was between 2020 and 2022, when he scored 50 goals over two seasons (he was a Fiorentina player for one-and-a-half of those, and a Juventus player for the last half).

At Juventus, he hits double figures regularly, but still hasn’t taken that next step to becoming a regular 20-goal-a-season striker.

Vlahovic is left-footed and that represents his most common way to score, significantly more so than via heading, despite his height. He isn’t just a penalty-box poacher, either; the Serbia striker is a reliable free-kick taker and is dangerous from long range.

There’s a lot to like about Vlahovic in terms of his raw traits, but in his mid-20s, he still isn’t the finished article. With a bit of refinement to his game, he could reach the next level, but he is just outside the bracket of being top-class just yet.

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