Arsenal: 5 striker transfer targets eyed to replace Lacazette

4. Dusan Vlahovic – Fiorentina

Age: 21
Rumoured fee: £77m
Contract expiry: 2023

Indeed, £77m was the price tag slapped on Dusan Vlahovic by Fiorentina’s president. While he is set to be the target of a fairly comprehensive European signature scramble, that’s still too steep and highly unlikely.

The Serbian is a name near enough everyone is familiar with now. Links to Arsenal have been around for many months, just as they have for other sides, and now La Stampa (via Sport Witness) saw Arsenal have ‘already moved’ for the 21-year-old. What that means is anyone’s guess.

Competition for his signing is fierce with near enough every big hitter in Italian football among the interested parties as well as other major clubs from abroad, almost all of whom boast participation in a certain European competition.

As a profile, Vlahovic suits what Arsenal are after: physical presence, can play with his back to goal, be involved in build-up play, strong in the air and a deadly finisher in the 18-yard box. Putting this season to one side, where Vlahovic hasn’t looked at his best, these are his attributes.

There is no proof of longevity at the top level of football for the Serb, nor is he the quickest of strikers, and the sheer logistical side of having to battle with a series of Champions League clubs and still pay an outrageous amount makes him mostly nonviable.

It’ll be somewhere in Italy for him next. Probably.

Continued…