Why Arsenal should sign Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window

Recent reports have emerged suggesting Arsenal are ready to make a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic (we’ve heard that before!)

Tutto Juve reveals that the Gunners are set to compete with Real Madrid for the signature of the Serbian forward. It is also believed that Juventus have put a price tag of £50m for the player.

Why Arsenal should sign Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window

Arsenal have previously displayed interest in Vlahovic and attempted to sign him from Fiorentina two years ago. However, the player chose to join Juventus instead. Since he joined the Italian giants, he has scored 27 goals in 73 appearances across all competitions.

The 23-year-old striker has not been able to perform at the level many expected since he joined the Bianconeri. However, Juve have been dealing with off-field issues since Vlahovic’s arrival, while the ideals of Massimiliano Allegri have not made life easy for the striker. Overall, the environment for a still-developing player like Vlahovic has not been the most ideal for his growth.

Arsenal are in dire need of a player like Vlahovic. Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah are Mikel Arteta’s current #9 options. Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard also make occasional appearances as forwards.

While each of Arteta’s current options all have their merits, none are as physically dominant as Vlahovic. Standing at 190cm tall (6 foot 2 inches), the Serbian is more than adept when asked to retain possession with his back to goal, and he proved in Florence that he’s capable of scoring an array of different goals. Both of these traits hold great value for what Mikel Arteta demands from a striker.

If the north London side pursue Vlahovic, we could see them possibly let go of a player in that position. Nketiah would be the most likely to succumb. The striker is a Hale End academy graduate and has undoubtedly improved since signing a long-term extension with the club.

Despite showing promise, Nketiah has shown he’s simply not to the required standard for a side of Arsenal’s ambition. He’s not consistent enough at the highest level, and his apparent unwillingness to drift away from the central space inhibits Arsenal’s fluidity in the final third.

It is possible that Arteta also wants a more physically dominant profile in the box. Compared to Nketiah, Vlahovic has a much more physical profile and is capable of operating as a focal point for the Gunners – similar to what Kai Havertz does when he functions as a #9.

If the Gunners fail to sign the Juventus star forward, they are said to be exploring the option of signing Ivan Toney from Brentford. However, it seems highly likely that if we were to get another striker, Nketiah’s Arsenal career could come to an end.