Arsenal’s transfer business thus far this summer has been near-flawless, having overcome every obstacle to attain their top targets.
It was reported that they saw off Real Madrid to bring Kai Havertz across the capital, and it seems that even Manchester City refuse to compete with them over Declan Rice.
The free-spending nature of Edu and Mikel Arteta has taken many by surprise, but it is likely just the cost of competing with Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning outfit.
Despite this, earlier in the window it was reported that the Spanish head coach still craved a physical forward to compete with Gabriel Jesus, in an effort to mix up their play from their usual style. This is likely a desire that has not subsided given their transfers thus far.
It is this report, plus another from Italy, that compounds their interest in Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
His €80m (£70m) price tag would put most off, but as aforementioned, the Gunners are not afraid to pay whatever it takes to encourage another title push.
This acquisition, for all the excitement that Rice and Havertz might bring, could be the most important in offering a fresh dimension to help them edge out games they would otherwise lose.
Is Dusan Vlahovic similar to Robin van Persie?
As a tall, powerful, left-footed striker linked with a north London switch, it is hard not to immediately draw comparisons with Robin van Persie.
The Dutchman spent eight impressive years at the Emirates, recording 190 goal contributions across just 278 games.
The manner of his exit was frustrating, but having immediately claimed a Premier League title upon moving to Manchester United, it was largely understood. He remains arguably one of Arsenal’s greatest players in recent memory, and the task to replace him will always be a tough one.
However, the early-career form of this Serbian forward shows promise, with his tenure at Fiorentina far more impressive than his current one in Turin.
In his final full season with the Viola, the 23-year-old would score 21 league goals, before recording another 24 across two clubs during the 2021/22 season where he moved. Either of these figures would have made the youngster comfortably the club’s top scorer last campaign, to emphasise how impressive they are.
He uses his hulking physique to bully defenders, and his explosive left foot to leave goalkeepers stranded.
Despite having struggled at his new club amidst all the turmoil, journalist Emmet Gates still claimed: “Dusan Vlahovic has the ability to be a generational talent, but he's suffering in this iteration of Juventus. To paraphrase a famous Zlatan line: He's a Ferrari being driven like a Fiat.”
Although it could be argued he is far from as well-rounded as the 39-year-old was, his youth marks a precious resource with which Arteta could mould the marksman at his will. Given how the likes of Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli have all made notable improvements under him, with their average Sofascore ratings in the league improving from the 2021/22 season to the 2022/23 campaign, there is every reason to believe he could repeat such a feat with his target man.
Perhaps this supercar of a player could now move to the truly well-oiled machine his quality merits, as the natural successor to one of the greatest strikers of their generation.
