The striker Arsenal should prioritise over Vlahovic in January

Stefan Bienkowski

• 13 Jan 2022 21:36 GMT
• 3 min read

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has suggested that Arsenal should forget about signing Dusan Vlahovic and instead target Sebastian Haller.

Vlahovic has been one of the most talked about players in the January transfer window, with Arsenal and a number of Europe’s biggest clubs reportedly chasing the Fiorentina striker.

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However, with an asking price that could stand at around €75 million, Ferdinand believes Ajax’s current talisman would be a much smarter option for the London club.

"I reckon Haller would be good for you lot [Arsenal]," said the former Man Utd and England defender on his FIVE YouTube channel.

So should Arsenal draw a line under their pursuit of Vlahovic and instead take a shot at signing Haller in January?

Would Haller be cheaper to sign?

While Haller may not have the same profile as Vlahovic at the moment, that certain;y doesn’t mean he would come cheap for Arsenal.

Not only does the Ajax striker have a contract with the Dutch giants that is set to run until 2025, but he also joined the club only one year ago for around €22 million.

As such, Haller is now worth around €38 million and would likely cost the best part of €50 million if Arsenal were serious about signing the 27-year-old striker.

Would he be a good signing for Arsenal?

One of the reasons for Haller’s price jump is the simple fact that he has been incredible for Ajax since joining the club last year.

In that time, the Ivory Coast international has bagged no less than 35 goals and 13 assists in just 47 games across all competitions. And this season alone has seen the striker pick up 22 goals and six assists in just 24 games.

Indeed, it’s Haller’s form in this season’s Champions League - 10 goals and two assists in six games - which should serious excite Arsenal fans and certainly rule out any concerns over the player’s struggles at West Ham.