WATCH: Dusan Vlahovic DISASTERCLASS scares off Arsenal

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 5 Jan 2025 10:47 GMT
• 5 min read

Dusan Vlahovic's abysmal performance for Juventus in the defeat to AC Milan will have scared off Arsenal in the January transfer window.

Vlahovic has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal this month.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a long-term fan of the 24-year-old, having failed to sign him in January 2022 when he left Fiorentina for Juventus.

The Gunners are on the lookout for a goalscorer in January as they have struggled badly this season to find the net from open play, which has led to their title challenge faltering.

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However, if Arteta was watching Juventus' 2-1 defeat to Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Friday, there is no chance he will sanction the signing of Vlahovic.

The Serbian produced one of the most abysmal performances of a three-year Juventus spell that has been full of unwatchable performances.

He repeatedly failed the most basic of tasks such as controlling the ball, passing it sidewards or linking up with teammates. And when he did have a chance to score he fluffed his lines.

Vlahovic, who was subbed off midway through the second half despite Juventus having no strikers on the bench, has been mocked for his performance by fans on social media.

The below video perfectly illustrates his disasterclass against Milan, who recovered from going a goal behind to book their place in the final against Inter on Monday.

Juventus are open to selling Vlahovic this month for financial and sporting reasons.

Vlahovic has a contract in Turin that expires in 2026 and renewal talks are not going well.

Vlahovic is the highest-paid player in Serie A on €12 million per season and Juventus are not willing to continue paying him that much given both his underpar performances on the pitch and the club’s new policy of lowering the wage ceiling.

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If a new contract can’t be agreed soon - which seems unlikely - Juventus will have no option but to sell Vlahovic in one of the two transfer windows in 2025 to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2026.

Vlahovic disappoints at Juventus

The second reason for selling Vlahovic is his inadequate performances on the pitch.

Vlahovic rejected a move to the Emirates in favour of joining Juventus for €80m from Fiorentina in January 2022.

At the time Vlahovic was considered the hottest young striking property in Europe after Erling Haaland, scoring a record 33 Serie A goals in the 2021 calendar year for Fiorentina.

But he has generally been a disappointment in his three years in Turin.

He scored just 14 goals in 42 games in his first full season and his overall game was equally disappointing last season despite finding the net 18 times in all competitions.

And this season, despite being under a new manager in Thiago Motta, Vlahovic has continued to be inconsistent in front of goal - despite 12 goals in all competitions - and simply not good enough in his overall play.

Vlahovic has been mocked for his inability to play with his back to goal, his heavy first touch, his laboured movement and his inability to link up with his teammates.

Juventus have struggled badly offensively this season and while the reason for this can also be directed at Motta and a horrific injury crisis, the increasing feeling in Turin is that Vlahovic needs to be upgraded.

Coupled with the financial issues surrounding Vlahovic, Juventus will be open to selling the striker.

In order to do so, though, they would need an adequate transfer fee. It has been suggested €60m but Juventus may even consider less.

Juventus would also need at least one quality replacement striker lined up. The Bianconeri are already incredibly thin on numbers in attack, as throughout the team. Vlahovic has had no backup all season due to the absence of Arek Milik.

It is understood that Juventus are in talks to sign Man Utd’s Joshua Zirkzee this month given he worked well with Motta last season at Bologna.