Roland Cutinho
Representatives of Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic have made contact with Manchester United
According to Calciomercato (h/t The Sun Live), the agents of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic have held talks with Premier League giants Manchester United regarding a potential summer move.
Since joining Juventus from Fiorentina in January 2022, the 23-year-old Serbian player has played in 63 matches for the club. He has scored 23 goals and provided six assists during his time there.
However, he has faced difficulties replicating the impressive form that led to his transfer, managing only 14 goals and four assists in 42 appearances last season for Juventus.
Following their seventh-place finish in Serie A, which resulted in them missing out on Champions League qualification, the Italian giants are looking to reduce their financial commitments and make necessary adjustments to their squad.
Juventus are open to receiving offers for Vlahovic during the transfer window, and Man United are now aware of the player’s situation at the Italian club. The striker himself is ready for a new experience.
Vlahovic has faced several hamstring problems recently, leading to only 22 Serie A starts this season. Currently, the target striker is sidelined due to a muscle injury.
United manager Erik ten Hag plans to reinforce several areas of the squad for the 2023-24 season. One area of focus is the central forward position, as the Red Devils have heavily relied on goals from Marcus Rashford due to Anthony Martial’s frequent injuries.
Wout Weghorst has also failed to perform consistently. His departure further highlighted the need for a new striker if United wants to close the gap on the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City. Players like Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen have been strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford, especially as they could potentially depart from their current clubs.
United were thought to be heavily linked with the former. However, The Guardian states that United have withdrawn from pursuing a deal for the 29-year-old, primarily due to his high price tag.
Considering United’s reported intention to avoid spending over £100 million on high-profile strikers, pursuing Vlahovic could present a more feasible option.
According to the report, the Bianconeri will be demanding nothing less than €90 million (£77m) with or without bonuses. This could be tough to meet for the Red Devils since they have already invested a significant sum in Chelsea’s Mason Mount.
The Serbian striker, who previously played for Fiorentina, still has over three years left on his contract with the Serie A club.
After experiencing difficulties in replicating his previous form at Juventus, we believe that Vlahovic still has the potential to turn his fortunes around at a different club.
His notable strengths lie in his positioning on the field and finishing ability. These attributes could prove valuable at United, where there have been a tendency to miss significant scoring opportunities in the penalty area.
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Additionally, given his younger age, the 23-year-old could be viewed as a promising investment for Ten Hag. However, it should be noted that signing Vlahovic would still involve some level of risk, albeit a calculated one.
