Arsenal are actively exploring alternatives for the striker role, with Dusan Vlahovic reportedly edging closer to a deal with Juventus and have Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak next on the shortlist, as per reports.
Arsenal have been on the hunt for a new centre-forward signing this January. Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah will be free agents by the summer transfer window. Nketiah has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen in the past, while Aston Villa also seem to be interested.
Lacazette also admitted to looking for a transfer in November last year. The Gunners are reluctant to extend the Frenchman’s contract on his current wages (£200,000-per-week as per reports). Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future depends on the arrival of a new signing as per reports.
Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic has been marked as Arsenal’s first-choice as a centre-forward signing. The Gunners reportedly made an offer to the Italian club last summer, albeit unsuccessfully. However, Arsenal are not the only team in the race, with Juventus also linked heavily to the Serbian.
Vlahovic becomes a free agent in 2023, and he communicated to his club last November that he will not be extending his contract with Fiorentina. The Italian club wanted to maximize their profit, setting a valuation of £70 million on the player.
There are currently no talks ongoing between Dušan Vlahovic agents and Arsenal board. Gunners are among many club following Vlahovic situation – but there’s nothing advanced as of today. #AFC
Fiorentina want €70/80m to sell Vlahovic in January. He’s out of contract in 2023.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 9, 2021
The Gunners initially offered £50 million and Lucas Torreira in exchange for Vlahovic. More recent reports suggest that Edu made an offer of £88 million, which was even accepted. The problem, however, was the agent and the player himself.
The Serbian striker had the intention to stay in Italy from the beginning and had set his mind on joining Juventus in January or the summer. Now, according to Sky in Italy, Juventus have reached an agreement with Fiorentina to sign Dusan Vlahovic for a £62.8m fee. The negotiations between the player and the Bionconeri are in the final stages.
Agreement in place between Juventus and Fiorentina for Dusan Vlahović. Details and terms of payment sorted out. #Vlahovic
Final stages on contract now discussed between Vlahović, his agent and Juventus board. Work in progress. #Juve
More: https://t.co/kDWXX8O2j6 pic.twitter.com/UzAZG96AKf
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 25, 2022
With the hopes of a transfer almost gone, Arsenal have identified Swedish international Alexander Isak as an alternative. According to The Athletic, the Gunners are weighing up the option of signing the Swedish striker in the January transfer window.
The former Borussia Dortmund man had an impressive 2020-21 season and capped it off with a remarkable performance at the Euros. Isak has, however, made a slow start to the 2021-22 season, with just 4 goals in 18 league games for the Spanish club.
The Real Sociedad frontman has a release clause of £76 million. The report suggests that Arsenal would try to negotiate the fee and land Alexander Isak for less, which is a realistic option. Since joining Real Sociedad, he has had 41 goals and 7 assists to his name in all competitions.
Alexander Isak is a target for Arsenal and his release clause makes him an attractive option.@David_Ornstein has the latest on where their striker pursuit stands…
LISTEN NOW 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧
— The Athletic UK (@TheAthleticUK) January 24, 2022
The 22-year-old offers a different profile from that of Vlahovic. The Serbian is a classic “fox-in-the-box” and very dangerous in front of the goal. Although the Swedish forward is not as prolific as Vlahovic but offers more in terms of build-up in deeper areas. Isak has good positional sense, speed and dribbling ability.
In Arteta’s current system, Lacazette often drops deeper to offer an extra man in build-ups. The Swede would be a more ideal candidate to undertake the same role in the future. However, the Gunners have often lacked a solid presence in the box.
As highlighted in the game against Burnley, Arsenal held a lot of possession and dominated proceedings. However, Arteta lacked a target man in the box, a player who could win aerial duels and hold off defenders. Vlahovic would have been a more ideal candidate to fulfil such a requirement.
The key takeaway here is that the Gunners require more than one signing. They are set to lose 3 centre-forwards in the same window. With Gabriel Martinelli thriving in the wide areas, it seems unlikely Arteta would slot the Brazilian in a central role.
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Moreover, Arsenal are also in the hunt for midfield reinforcements. It may not be ideal to spend extensively on a single player when multiple signings are needed. Alexander Isak is a great fit in Arteta’s system and could be a realistic target for Arsenal on a negotiated fee.
Nevertheless, the Gunners could also look at other cheaper options like Julian Alvarez. The Argentinian, currently at River Plate, can play across the front 3. He has a release clause of just £21 million. Meanwhile, RB Salzburg’s Karim Adeyemi is also an option, who has been previously linked with the Gunners.
Should Arsenal make a big-money centre-forward signing this January? Or are there other areas of the squad that require as much attention? Let us know in the comments.
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The post Arsenal Shift Their Attention Towards €40 Million Rated La Liga Striker After Missing out on Vlahovic appeared first on Arsedevils.
