Arsenal are ready to offer Dusan Vlahovic a lucrative contract worth £16m a year and will test Fiorentina’s resolve with a £58m bid for the highly-rated striker, according to reports via the Express.
Mikel Arteta is desperately trying to strengthen his squad this month as he looks to maintain Arsenal’s push to get back into Europe next season with the north Londoners currently sitting two points adrift of fourth place with two games in hand.
A new striker is reportedly a top priority for the Gunners as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been frozen out of the squad since Arteta stripped him of the captaincy late last year following a series of disciplinary issues.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are also expected to leave the Emirates Stadium when their contracts expire in June so Arteta is in the market for a top hitman and Vlahovic has been widely touted as Arsenal’s prime target.
It looks like the Gunners are now ready to make their move as the Express are citing a report from La Nazione that claims Arsenal are set to submit a formal offer to Fiorentina this week worth around £58m [€70m].
Vlahovic has just 18 months left on his current contract and isn’t expected to sign an extension so Fiorentina will be tempted to accept Arsenal’s proposed offer rather than risk getting a lower fee when the striker has just 12 months remaining in the summer.
Bumper deal
The main issue for Arsenal has been trying to convince the 21-year-old to move to the Emirates as Vlahovic would reportedly prefer to join Juventus and wants guaranteed Champions League football.
However, it looks like Arsenal are going to do everything they can to persuade the Serbian international to join the club as La Nazione claims the English giants are ready to offer Vlahovic a long-term contract worth £308,000-a-week – which works out at around £16m-per year.
The report says Arsenal hope the bumper package will be enough to lure the striker to north London as the deal would make Vlahovic the clubs second highest earner behind Aubameyang and one of the best paid players in the Premier League.
It would be difficult for rival clubs such as Juventus to compete with such a financial package so Vlahovic could be tempted by a move to Arsenal and he’d be a superb addition to Arteta’s squad if they could get a deal over the line.
The young hitman has scored 19 goals in 23 games so far this season and should prove to be an excellent fit in Arteta’s young line-up so Arsenal fans will be praying they can win the race for his signature.
