Free-agent Vlahovic resurfaces as option for Arsenal four years after initial pursuit

Dusan Vlahovic will leave Juventus as a free agent this summer after the two parties failed to agree terms on a new contract, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, reopening a transfer conversation with Arsenal that first emerged in January 2022.

The 26-year-old Serbian spent just over four years in Turin, scoring 68 goals in 168 appearances and winning the Serie A best striker award in 2024, but salary expectations between player and club proved too far apart to bridge. Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti had publicly pushed for a renewal, saying the club could not function without “a strong, physical threat who scores goals,” but those efforts ultimately came to nothing.

Arteta’s side were first linked with Vlahovic when he was tearing through Serie A for Fiorentina, having scored 41 times across a season and a half. Arsenal were deterred at the time by a transfer fee that eventually reached £66 million when Juventus moved in, and Vlahovic himself was drawn to a club already competing in the Champions League — a competition Arsenal had missed for four consecutive seasons heading into that window.

The landscape has shifted considerably since then. Arsenal won the Premier League last season and have been regulars in the Champions League, removing both of the obstacles that complicated the original pursuit. Vlahovic would now arrive at no transfer cost, with only wages to negotiate.

Arsenal did sign Viktor Gyokeres for £64 million twelve months ago, and the Sweden international scored more than 20 goals in his debut campaign. However, Gyokeres found himself on the bench for key fixtures — including the Champions League final — with Kai Havertz preferred in the most important moments. A defeat to PSG at the weekend further highlighted questions about Arsenal’s cutting edge in high-stakes matches, adding pressure on Arteta to strengthen his attacking options this summer.

Whether Arsenal move for Vlahovic remains to be seen. His availability on a free transfer removes the financial barrier that blocked a deal in 2022, but the club will need to weigh his profile against other targets as they look to build on their title-winning season.