Arsenal could reportedly be open to negotiating a swap deal in order to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic in the January transfer window.
The Serbia international was one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe when he starred at Fiorentina between 2018 and 2022, and it was Juventus who spent an initial €70m to win the race for his signature.
Vlahovic has struggled with injuries during his time in Turin, but he has still managed to record 53 goals and 11 assists in 121 appearances for the Italian giants across all competitions.
The 24-year-old, who has netted 12 times in 20 games so far this season, is under contract at Juventus until June 2026, but speculation over his long-term future has surfaced ahead of the winter window.
A recent report claimed that Juventus are planning to sell Vlahovic if he decides against signing a new contract at the club in the coming weeks.
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Arsenal to reignite Vlahovic pursuit in January?
The uncertainty surrounding the future of Vlahovic is understood to have alerted a number of Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, who are all said to be keeping tabs on his situation.
Mikel Arteta's side are long-term admirers of Vlahovic and they failed to recruit the striker before he joined Juventus almost three years ago.
Now, Italian news outlet Spazioj.it claims that the Gunners are 'once again knocking' for Vlahovic and are 'one of the most credible and aggressive contenders' for his signature.
The report adds that Arsenal could begin their 'crazy operation' to recruit the striker as early as January, and they may even 'give the go-ahead to a super exchange' involving one of their own players.
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Could Arsenal's Jesus join Juventus in exchange for Vlahovic?
Any proposed swap deal could involve out-of-favour forward Gabriel Jesus, who is of interest to Juve as they are on the lookout for a 'technical and manoeuvrable striker'.
Jesus, who joined Arsenal from Manchester City for £45m in the summer of 2022, has fallen down the pecking order under Arteta this season and has struggled for regular first-team football, starting just two of his 13 Premier League appearances, not scoring a single goal in the process.
The 27-year-old is not the only Arsenal player of interest to Juventus, as the Italian giants are also said to be attracted by the possibility of signing defender Jakub Kiwior, but the opportunity of recruiting an 'ideal replacement' for Vlahovic is said to be a tempting one.
Jesus is believed to be one of a number of attack-minded players on Juventus' shortlist along with Man United's Joshua Zirkzee and Lille's Jonathan David.
Oliver Thomas
