FIORENTINA star Dusan Vlahovic will be a wanted man this summer with Arsenal reportedly the latest club to target the striker.
With 12 goals for the mid-table Viola this season, the Serbia international recently netted in his country’s World Cup qualifying win over Republic of Ireland.
Plenty of scouts are likely to have been watching the 21-year-old in action with as many as five teams ready to wrestle over his signature.
According to Calcio Mercato, Arsenal are joined by Roma, RB Leipzig, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan in monitoring Vlahovic.
The Gunners are set to continue their squad overhaul at the end of the season with high-earning fringe players such as Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi already cut.
Fresh attacking talent may be a top priority with Martin Odegaard set to leave when his loan ends, and Nabil Fekir is another player linked.
Vlahovic signed for Fiorentina from Partizan Belgrade in 2018 and emerged as a leading light under Cesare Prandelli this season.
The Italian coach’s recent exit from the club, citing personal difficulties with managing the role, came after huge praise from his star forward.
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Vlahovic explained: “I’ve said many times that I cannot describe with words what I owe to Prandelli. He arrived when I was in a bad period of form, he gave me confidence and I must repay his faith in me.”
Before his resignation, Prandelli heaped praise on the youngster.
The 63-year-old said: “This is the most delicate moment of Dusan’s career, because people expect things from him now.
“He has to keep it simple and focus on the basics.
“He’s certainly motivated, I practically have to push him off the pitch, as he would like to stay there for hours. I think it’s the kind of pressure he can deal with.”
Former Fiorentina star Valeri Bojinov has been impressed by Vlahovic for many years, and claimed the player previously likened himself to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The ex-striker told Transfermarkt, via Football Italia: “I told [then-Fiorentina chief Pantaleo] Corvino to sign Vlahovic when he was 15 or 16.
“Vlahovic was crazy, really crazy. He used to tell me, ‘I am a Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Belgrade, I will play for the strongest clubs’.
“I liked his arrogance. I thought he would become a strong player.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
