Dusan Vlahovic is a wanted man in the Saudi Pro League and Turkish top tier, but the 25-year-old still has a shot at making it to the Premier League in England.
Juve’s top scorer this term, who picked the Turin titans instead of joining Arsenal in 2022, has experienced an indifferent season.
It could get dramatically better should Juventus secure Champions League soccer, which would lift the team spirits for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup finals in June and July.
Yet it could all end in tears if the Bianconeri fail to make the top four to miss out on Europe’s leading club competition. To suffer such disappointment could ultimately result in flat displays at the Club World finals in the United States.
Juve’s next three matches will define whether or not the club can inject money on revamping their squad to tackle the 2025/26 campaign.
Lacking match fitness
Vlahovic may not be at the Italian giants next term. He has experienced a season full of difficulties, sidelined for the past one-and-a-half games because of a thigh injury.
He kicked off the Serie A season with aplomb, and could make a similar positive impact in Juve’s final league run-in with contests against Lazio, Udinese and Venezia. Clubs will be monitoring his performances.
Following an altercation with a home fan at the Allianz Stadium in December, things have nosedived for the Serbia striker.
He fell out of favor under Thiago Motta in January, and became a bit-part player once Paris Saint-Germain flop Kolo Muani arrived during the winter transfer window.
Time to cash in
With Vlahovic’s contract expiring in June 2026, the club were keen to cash in although he turned down the opportunities to ply his trade in Saudi Arabia or Turkey. Those clubs that wanted to sign him for 80 million have monitored him ever since, and are keen to pounce as his current value has been cut in half.
Istanbul giants Fenerbahce have been attempting to lure Vlahovic to the Turkish top tier since January. The sticking point has always been his high annual salary demands, which some Turkish media has declared is as high as a whopping €20m (US$22.65m).
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United have all been long-term admirers, with Aston Villa and Inter Milan the latest sides to show serious interest. Arsenal and Chelsea both desperately require an out-and-out physical forward, but seem to prefer to soldier on without filling this void.
Should Manchester United or Newcastle United table a bid, it is likely to include a swap deal.
Vlahovic has yet to find the back of the net under Igor Tudor, who was installed as interim head coach after Motta was given the boot in late March.
Simply the best
Tudor has publicly referred to Vlahovic as the best striker in Serie A, and is biting at the bit for him to start banging in the goals.
The boss needs Vlahovic back to his best for the last three league games, as the season is coming to a dramatic close.
The boss needs Vlahovic back to his best for the last three league games, as the season is coming to a dramatic close. Next up for Juve is the massive match at Lazio, also in the mix to clinch a Champions League berth.
With the Scudetto a straight fight between table-topping Napoli and Inter Milan, and Atalanta in third spot, there’s one more place up for grabs to earn Champions League soccer next term.
The frantic chase for a top four finish has been narrowed down to become a close battle between AS Roma, Bologna, Juventus and Lazio.
Potential futile hunt
If there’s no Champions League involvement for Juve next season, the majority of targets that sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has listed will be out of the question.
Failure to finish fourth for Juve has serious repercussions, with a lack of financial muscle there is likely to be a rebuilding plan.
Tudor would probably return to his native Croatia, waiting for another top Italian team to draft him in as a short-term troubleshooter.
Giuntoli’s five-year contract could be torn up, as there’s a get out clause after two years for him and the club to end their deal.
Fate of loanees
Most players on loan would return to their parent club after the Club World Cup, with targets such as Andrea Cambiaso, Douglas Luiz and Vlahovic sold but probably cheaper than their asking price because of Juve’s precarious position.
Vlahovic is the only big name that Juventus do not mind selling, as otherwise they will lose out financially when he becomes a free agent after next season’s campaign. The upcoming Club World Cup serves as a perfect platform to attract potential buyers.
His high salary demands, which have resulted in stalled talks about a contract extension at Juve, has put off a plethora of interested clubs. Although this is not an obstacle for the top teams in England, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Vlahovic appears to want to leave Juventus after their involvement in the Club World Cup has ended. In order to explore opportunities in Europe, he needs to start making explosive contributions and scoring if his goal truly is to separate from the Bianconeri.