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      Arsenal ‘working out shock transfer move for Aston Villa star Jhon Duran’ but Alexander Isak remains ‘dream target’

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      ARSENAL are reportedly exploring a shock move for Aston Villa star Jhon Duran – even though Alexander Isak remains their “dream target.”The Gunners are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements after several injury blows.Arsenal are exploring a shock deal for Aston Villa striker Jhon DuranCredit: GettyNewcastle’s Alexander Isak remains the Gunners’ dream targetCredit: GettyBukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus are both long-term absentees.And Mikel Arteta is keen to add an out-and-out striker to his squad of title hopefuls.The Londoners are known to be big fans of Newcastle superstar Isak, who has 19 goals in 25 games this season.While RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who has 14 in 27, has also been linked.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut now, Fabrizio Romano reckons that Villa ace Duran has emerged as a likely target before deadline day.The Colombian has netted 12 goals in 29 games so far this term.Duran, who recently signed a new long-term contract, was the subject of a failed £57million bid from West Ham earlier this month.Villa are thought to want £80m to sell their young asset.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSAnd Arsenal are now showing a strong interest in Duran, with “dream target” Isak deemed too expensive right now.Romano told Give Me Sport: “What I’m told is Arsenal made a call in recent weeks to understand the situation of Duran.Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants FA to overturn controversial Myles Lewis-Skelly red card “At the moment, there’s no green light from Leipzig for Sesko.“Also Isak, the dream target of Arsenal, he’s super expensive. It’s almost very complicated, nothing in football is impossible but it’s very complicated.“And so in recent weeks, Arsenal called to understand Duran’s situation, but there’s been no direct negotiations with Villa.” More

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      Newcastle to reward Alexander Isak with long-term contract offer and make him top earner amid Arsenal transfer links

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      NEWCASTLE are looking to reward Alexander Isak with a huge new contract amid interest from Arsenal, according to reports.The 25-year-old scored his 16th and 17th Premier League goals of the season in a 3-1 win over Southampton yesterday.Alexander Isak is set to be offered a bumper new contract by NewcastleCredit: ReutersNewcastle are desperate not to lose their star striker and are willing to make him the club’s highest earner.Isak has three-and-a-half years left on his contract and talks over an improved deal were halted last year.But The Telegraph report that discussions over an extension are set to resume at the end of the season.Qualification for the Champions League would supposedly “sweeten the talks” and would remove a reason he could have for leaving.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThey also claim the player is happy at Newcastle and he has told team-mates that he is not thinking of playing elsewhere.Toon chiefs reportedly wanted £150million for Isak in the summer.Arsenal have continuously been linked with Swedish international.But The Telegraph understands that the Gunners cannot afford him at that price, nor can anyone in Europe.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSIsak has the chance to show Arsenal what they are missing in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg on February 5.Newcastle won the first clash 2-0 and are hopeful of winning a first trophy since 1955.Suspended Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes shares heartwarming clip celebrating famous win in his living room with his son More

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      Mikel Arteta consulting Arsenal stars on which striker to sign as he desperately seeks firepower before deadline

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      MIKEL ARTETA is consulting his Arsenal stars on which striker to sign before the transfer window slams shut.Arsenal are desperately looking for extra firepower in the January window with injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus leaving the North Londoners desperately short up top.Injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus have left Arsenal struggling up topCredit: PAManager Mikel Arteta is open to bringing in a new striker before the window shuts on February 3Credit: REUTERSThe Spaniard is consulting WITH his players over what type of forward to signCredit: GETTYBut with just over a week until the window shuts, Arteta appears no closer to bringing in a new face with key target Benjamin Sesko looking likely to remain at Red Bull Leipzig barring a hefty late bid.The north Londoners have also been linked with moves for Alexander Isak, Dusan Vlahovic and Matheus Cunha.Following Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham last week, Declan Rice said: “We’re a bit short [in attack]. I’m not surprised if we are going to do something.”Asked if his players have spoken to him about new signings ahead of today’s [SAT] clash at Wolves, Arteta said: “Not like that, but we have all been there, we all look at each other.READ MORE ARSENAL NEWS“We have had very, very short numbers for many, many weeks and they recognise the situation, we all do. “That’s why we are trying to do what is right for the club, the team, that’s our intention.”Arteta says he “always” consults his players about potential incomings or specific individuals he is trying to bring to the club.He added: “That’s getting us away from the computer and what the data is saying. It is real. I have seen it, I sense it.Most read in SportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS“A player can score a lot of goals, great. How does this player react when he hasn’t scored for six or seven games? “This is what I am interested in.Arsenal Dominates Dinamo Zagreb: Player Ratings Revealed “Watch an interview with a player who hasn’t scored for six games, and then what kind of goals does he score? “Against which teams in which context? Is it first half or second half?“Is it only with his right foot, only headers, only in open spaces? “Does he like the physical contact of this league?“So when you have a player that has spent a lot of days with [a transfer target], that is really valuable information to have.”Arteta has the backing of owners Stan and Josh Kroenke to do business this month.But key decision-makers are taking into account the impact it could have on their summer plans and future targets, as well as how it will affect the make-up of the squad.A domestic loan is off the table having already acquired back-up keeper Neto from Bournemouth and Raheem Sterling from Chelsea last summer on a season-long deal.Neto is yet to make an appearance for the club – having been cup-tied for the Carabao Cup upon his arrival – but Arteta has quashed any suggestions of cancelling one of those loans to accommodate another.Defenders Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been linked with moves away this month, the latter attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund, which could free up space and funds for a striker.RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is at the top of the Gunners’ wishlistCredit: GettyBut Arteta said: “It’s about balance as well, depending which player it is [being sold]. “If that is a player that is going to give us space or if it is going to limit us again in a certain position.“It all depends. The rules are quite tricky well. “It’s not just what you bring and what you sell, it’s actually what resources do you have available after that.”On a more positive note, Arteta could have defensive duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and William Saliba back for the trip to Molineux.Left-back Lewis-Skelly missed the Champions League victory over Dinamo Zagreb with a jarred knee picked up in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa – but scans have shown “nothing serious”.Centre-back Saliba has been struggling with a hamstring strain that has also kept the Frenchman out of Arsenal’s last two outings – and could be rested for next weekend’s game against Manchester City.Arteta said: “Whether it is too early or not [for them to face Wolves], we don’t know. READ MORE SUN STORIES”They will definitely be in for next week. This week, let’s see how it goes.”Right-back Ben White is also close to a return following knee surgery in November, preparing to train with the senior squad over the next week. More

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      Arsenal player ratings: Dominant Martinelli makes himself undroppable as anonymous Sterling blows big chance

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      DECLAN RICE’S first Champions League goal all but secured Arsenal’s place in the last 16 of Europe’s finest competition.Goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard rounded off a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagerb, but it was Gabriel Martinelli’s goal involvements that shone the brightest. Declan Rice opened the scoring inside two minutesKai Havertz settled nerves half way through the second halfMartin Odegaard made it 3-0 in the 91st minuteThe Gunners moved up to third in the Uefa league standings but should’ve been out of sight after missing a flurry of chances.Dinamo, who are level on points in the standings with Manchester City after they lost 4-2 to PSG, didn’t reward their raucous away support with a single shot on target.As such, Mikel Arteta’s men are set to finish in the top eight, although automatic qualification isn’t mathematically confirmed yet.On a freezing cold evening in North London, SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rates and slates each Arsenal performer.READ MORE ON ARSENALDavid Raya – 6A really poor clearance invited pressure from Dinamo’s front three in the first-half. A heart in mouth moment for sure.But rarely touched the ball from then on, with the Croatian side not registering a single shot at the Spaniard in 90 minutes.David Raya’s poor clearance left Arsenal fans gaspingJurrien Timber – 5Involved in early attacks and got back to block a dangerous Dinamo counter as things settled in the 12th minute.But was caught sleeping after Luca Stojkovic won the ball off him on the edge of his box, before Jakub Kiwior’s handy interception.Most read in FootballGabriel – 6Missed a sitter to make it 2-0 after Odegaard put it on a sixpence from a corner. Held off Stojkovic whenever he was called upon, although Dinamo offered little going forward.Jakub Kiwior – 7For all the scrutiny he’s faced, the Pole saved regular starter Timber from embarrassment and a sure Dinamo chance inside 33 minutes.Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7With teen Myles Lewis Skelly carrying a knock, the Ukrainian was forward thinking and whipped crosses into Havertz all evening.Declan Rice – 8Fired Arsenal ahead with a thunderous volley inside 105 seconds – his first-ever goal in the competition.But his usual corner deliveries were affected by the deafening away end pelting plastic cups and lighters at his back.Ran his heart out but fluffed a poor header, reminiscent of the same chance missed against Man Utd in the FA Cup defeat, to make it 3-0.Rice was pelted with objects before taking corners in the first halfJorginho – 6Horror back pass almost cost his side the lead when he put Raya in trouble inside 30 minutes. But worked hard to win the ball back and put Martinelli through for a blistering run.Martin Odegaard – 7Engine of the team. Dropped back into midfield to provide an outlet for Kiwior whenever he could.A tap-in at the death saw him score his first goal since the 5-2 win over West Ham in November to make it 3-0.Raheem Sterling – 4A non event. The former England winger was weak in-front of goal yet again.But some lovely Sterling-esque runs of old were a nice watch at times, if that’s all he had to offer.Lucky to avoid a straight red after a nasty challenge on Maxime Bernauer’s ankle with his studs just seconds into the second half.Gabriel Martinelli – 8A last-ditch tackle denied him what would have been a sensational solo goal from a 60-yard run that woke Arsenal from their slumber.Was the main attacking threat and had a hand in both goals, first crossing into Havertz, who laid it on for Rice, before a glorious curling ball into the German for 2-0. Has the Brazilian made himself undroppable moving forward?Gabriel Martinelli was the star of the showKai Havertz – 7Brushed off recent criticism with a perfect lay-off for Rice to smash home and doubled Arsenal’s lead with a laid-on header in the 66th minute.Was happy to score but was wasteful before finding the back of the net and often absent in box during first-half attacks.SubsEthan Nwaneri (for Sterling, 57 mins) – 6A loud applause welcomed the teen back from injury, but he didn’t have to do much against such weak opposition. Thomas Partey (for Timber, 57 mins) – 6Assured cameo in midfield.READ MORE SUN STORIESKieran Tierney (for Zinchenko, 73 mins) – 5Calm on the ball after coming on.Leandro Trossard (for Havertz) – 5Made his 100th appearance for the club. More

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      Arsenal 3 Dinamo Zagreb 0: Rice, Havertz and Odegaard net to put Mikel Arteta’s side all but through to last 16

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      MIKEL ARTETA’S wannabe Samba boys have all but guaranteed themselves a Champions League knock-out spot – and maybe some winter sunshine next month.Arsenal boss Arteta had his squad train with Brazilian music blaring through speakers on the side of their London Colney training pitches on Tuesday afternoon as a source of inspiration.Arsenal welcomed Dinamo Zagreb to the Emirates for their penultimate Champions League group stage matchCredit: PADeclan Rice broke the deadlock in only the second minute of the matchCredit: EPAKai Havertz made sure of the victory with a 66th minute headerCredit: ReutersYet this was not a night for thrills and spills – Declan Rice’s second-minute strike and Kai Havertz’s second half header lighting up a tame Emirates showcase against Fabio Cannavaro’s quality-lacking Dinamo Zagreb.It was not pretty, but the Gunners are sitting that way with one game left in this new league phase, up into third on 16 points and with goal difference that makes a top eight finish very nearly a cert.Next week’s trip to Girona provides little jeopardy, so Arsenal can plan for the last 16 in March.By avoiding the February play-offs – on top of not being involved in the FA Cup fourth round that month too – Arteta is considering using the free days for a warm-weather winter break.READ MORE ARSENAL NEWSAnd from the looks of it, this Arsenal bunch are in dire need of recharging some batteries if they are to challenge for trophies domestically and in Europe.With William Saliba’s hamstring troubles and defensive duo Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly missing training in the build-up, Arteta opted for four changes from the disappointing 2-2 draw with Aston Villa here last weekend.Pole Jakub Kiwior filled in at centre back, while Oleksandr Zinchenko filled in at left-back – a bold choice considering he is linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund this month.Regardless, this was a mighty test for new Zagreb boss Cannavaro – his first match in charge of the Croats after being appointed on December 29, with only a few friendlies under his belt.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA small section of the travelling Zagreb fans twice targeted Declan Rice bottles and cups as he took cornerCredit: REUTERSRice ended up being struck by one of the missilesCredit: GETTYMartin Odegaard bagged a much-needed goal in stoppage time to make it 3-0Credit: GETTYThe 2006 World Cup-winning Italian defender – nine years older than Arteta at 51 – is known for his safety-first, handbrake-firmly-on approach in management.Those plans were blown out of the water inside the first two minutes as Gabriel Martinelli drove and crossed from out wide for Havertz and the German teed up Rice to volley in with anger.Arsenal fan seen defacing Josh Kroenke mural after being left fed up with Arteta’s transfer strugglesFlashbacks of that club-record 9-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in their league phase opener in Munich back in September must have been an unwanted replay in the minds of the Zagreb players.Rice continued to be in the thick of things.The rowdy travelling fans had come up with a novel way of disrupting Arsenal’s corner routines – pelting the England midfielder with plastic cups before he could take one.The visitors needed all the dirty tricks they could get, given their competition-high tally of seven goals conceded from set-pieces and up against one of the continent’s very best dead-ball specialists.Zagreb unsurprisingly were struggling to get a sniff against a side yet to concede from open play in this Champions League campaign.Arsenal were also comfortable with ball at feet, albeit wasteful.While January transfer target Benjamin Sesko had netted earlier in the day for Red Bull Leipzig, Arteta’s current No.9 Havertz passed up several chances to shoot inside the box.His defenders were making the Spanish coach wince too as Kiwior and Jurrien Timber took it in turns to fumble on the ball inside their own half.Arsenal ratings vs Dinamo: Martinelli makes himself undroppable as Sterling blows big chanceBy Katherine WalshDavid Raya – 6A really poor clearance invited pressure from Dinamo’s front three in the first half. A heart in mouth moment for sure.But rarely touched the ball from then on, with the Croatian side not registering a single shot at the Spaniard in 90 minutes.Jurrien Timber – 5Involved in early attacks and got back to block a dangerous Dinamo counter as things settled in the 12th minute.But was caught sleeping after Luca Stojkovic won the ball off him on the edge of his box, before Jakub Kiwior’s handy interception.Gabriel – 6Missed a sitter to make it 2-0 after Odegaard put it on a sixpence from a corner.Held off Stojkovic whenever he was called upon, although Dinamo offered little going forward.Jakub Kiwior – 7For all the scrutiny he’s faced, the Pole saved regular starter Timber from embarrassment and a sure Dinamo chance inside 33 minutes.Oleksandr Zinchenko – 7With teen Myles Lewis Skelly carrying a knock, the Ukrainian was forward thinking and whipped crosses into Havertz all evening.Declan Rice – 8Fired Arsenal ahead with a thunderous volley inside 105 seconds – his first-ever goal in the competition.But his usual corner deliveries were affected by the deafening away end pelting plastic cups and lighters at his back.Ran his heart out but fluffed a poor header, reminiscent of the same chance missed against Man Utd in the FA Cup defeat, to make it 3-0.Jorginho – 6Horror backpass almost cost his side the lead when he put Raya in trouble inside 30 minutes.But worked hard to win the ball back and put Martinelli through for a blistering run.Martin Odegaard – 7Engine of the team. Dropped back into midfield to provide an outlet for Kiwior whenever he could.A tap-in at the death saw him score his first goal since the 5-2 win over West Ham in November to make it 3-0.Raheem Sterling – 4A non-event. The former England winger was weak in front of goal yet again.But some lovely Sterling-esque runs of old were a nice watch at times, if that’s all he had to offer.Lucky to avoid a straight red after a nasty challenge on Maxime Bernauer’s ankle with his studs just seconds into the second half.Gabriel Martinelli – 8A last-ditch tackle denied him what would have been a sensational solo goal from a 60-yard run that woke Arsenal from their slumber.Was the main attacking threat and had a hand in both goals, first crossing into Havertz, who laid it on for Rice, before a glorious curling ball into the German for 2-0.Has the Brazilian made himself undroppable moving forward?Kai Havertz – 7Brushed off recent criticism with a perfect lay-off for Rice to smash home and doubled Arsenal’s lead with a laid-on header in the 66th minute.Was happy to score but was wasteful before finding the back of the net and often absent in box during first-half attacks.SubsEthan Nwaneri (for Sterling, 57 mins) – 6A loud applause welcomed the teen back from injury, but he didn’t have to do much against such weak opposition.Thomas Partey (for Timber, 57 mins) – 6Assured cameo in midfield.Kieran Tierney (for Zinchenko, 73 mins) – 5Calm on the ball after coming on.Leandro Trossard (for Havertz) – 5Made his 100th appearance for the club.Having blown a 2-0 lead against Villa, Arteta would not let lightning strike twice. After Timber and Raheem Sterling were booked within six minutes of the second half, they were both subbed off.Zagreb were still hanging on, and then they were not. Havertz rose highest to nod in Martinelli’s inviting 66th minute cross – Arsenal’s 500th goal under Arteta.Goal number 501 came in stoppage time courtesy of tap-in from skipper Martin Odegaard.Who needs a striker? Well, Arsenal do – desperately.READ MORE SUN STORIESCrocked pair Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus must have watched this one wondering how many goals they could have gobbled up.For now, with an eighth Champions League home clean sheet since the start of last season, Arteta’s defence are dragging them forward. More

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      What do Arsenal need to guarantee qualification to the Champions League Last 16?

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      ARSENAL are among the favourites to advance straight into the Champions League’s Last 16.The Gunners are fifth in the League Phase table with eight points separating them from high flying Liverpool, but Mikel Arteta’s men have a game in hand.Arsenal might need only one more win to advance to the Champions League’s Last 16Credit: GettyThe North Londoners have two more games to go in the revamped first round consisting of 36 teams.Mikel Arteta’s men face Dinamo Zagreb tonight at the Emirates and then visit Girona on January 29.Arsenal have amassed 13 points from six matches of which they won four and lost only once.Just one more win from the final two games could send the Premier League giants straight into the Round of 16.Read More on ArsenalThe teams who finish in the top eight spots automatically qualify for the Last 16.And those who find themselves between ninth and 24th place will face off in the play-offs to determine the other eight teams that make it to the next round.Arsenal are currently five points ahead of Dinamo, who are 25th in the Champions League table.Opta found that in 99 per cent of their simulations, teams who collected 10 points made it into the play-off round, which means Arteta and co might already be guaranteed at least a spot in those.Most read in Champions LeagueEven nine points proved to be enough in 69 per cent of the simulations, which were run 50,000 times.But Arsenal will want direct qualification for the Last 16.16 points proved to be enough in 98 per cent of the available scenarios.Arsenal ratings: Trossard turns creator to put Gunners in driving seat but Merino and Partey lapses cost Arteta’s sideAnd 15 points were sufficient for eighth place in 73 per cent of the simulations. On the other hand, 14 points were enough in just 28 per cent of the supercomputer’s simulations.That means 15 points could be the magic number for Arsenal to avoid two crunch clashes amid their gruelling bid for a first Premier League title since 2004.That would mean one win from their final two games will likely be enough. More

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      How Arsenal boss Arteta is using MUSIC to motivate his players with huge speakers positioned around training pitches

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      MIKEL ARTETA is willing to try anything to gain an extra inch in his pursuit of silverware.The Arsenal manager’s latest out-of-the-box thinking involves transforming the dreary weather of London Colney into a sun-kissed Samba Boys beach through the medium of MUSIC.Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is hoping to get a tune out of his players for the title run-inCredit: Amazon Prime Video SportArsenal’s players trained with Samba music on speakers ahead of Euro clashCredit: GettyBoss Mikel Arteta spoke with Brazilian-born Eduardo at London ColneyCredit: GettyAhead of their penultimate Champions League group phase match against Dinamo Zagreb tomorrow tonight, Arteta’s injury-plagued Gunners squad trudged out for training in chilly conditions at their North London base.But their moods were instantly lifted by a popular Brazilian tune blasting through several speakers around the pitches as they started their warm-up – the song in question being Mais Que Nada by Sergio Mendes.A beaming Arteta was clearly enjoying its impact, getting involved in the Rondo’s with his players to a soundtrack most people associate with Samba legends Ronaldinho and Kaka.And Arteta explained: “It’s something we’ve been doing for many years now.read more arsenal“And as part of training we use music as another element of our sessions to build the energy, to change some purposes that we want in the training session and I think the players enjoy it.“It depends on the drill, depends on the day. Some players pick the first song, the first two songs, the last song. It’s definitely interesting.”Arsenal and Arteta are in dire need of a mood change after a gruelling month that has seen them crash out of the FA Cup to Manchester United in the third round on penalties and lose the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final 2-0 at home to Newcastle.Their Prem title dreams have also taken another knock, blowing a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa on Saturday night – leaving them six points off Liverpool who have a game in hand.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSMeanwhile, their treatment room is filling up with key figures Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu still on the road to recovery.In November 2021, Arteta tried to prepare his players for a trip to Anfield by playing the anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ during a training session, only to get smashed 4-0.’I’m flabbergasted’ – Paul Merson tears into Thomas Partey’s ‘schoolboy’ defending as Arteta blasts performance vs VillaArteta continued: “Music is very much part of our culture. We have music in a lot of different places, and music has the capacity to change your mood, to change your energy to a certain place.“It happens in all of us. You play a song and immediately you feel different, and we have certain songs that trigger something in our team, because they have some history as well with us.“I will use it when we believe it’s the right way to do it.“Sometimes I play a song many, many times with my family and [the kids] say: ‘Dad, can we stop it, please?’ I don’t know, it’s a feeling.”Winger Leandro Trossard – who is set to make his 100th appearance in all competitions for Arsenal after signing from Brighton two years ago this week – added: “I’m not sure who’s on the tunes when we’re doing the warm-up. You just get used to it, I guess.Bukayo Saka update as Arsenal star spotted at Emirates without crutches… but Gunners suffer fresh injury blow“At the start when I joined it was a bit weird for me that we had this, but now it’s just natural for us to have the music playing when we’re warming up.“[Arteta’s methods] are a bit different to any other manager I had. But it helps players on some days to focus more and get the meaning, the importance of the game.”Despite having two-and-a-half years with an option of a further 12 months left on his contract, Trossard has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this term.The Belgian has started just 14 Prem games term, and often shows his disappointment through grumpy facial expressions, with Arteta jokingly calling him a “moaner” in the past.Trossard laughed: “I wouldn’t use moan. I’m just a winner. If something goes against me and I think it’s unfair, I think that’s really personal, I would say. That’s how I am.“That should be the mind-set of every footballer. I don’t do it on purpose, maybe my body language at that point could be, but I am always ready. Even if I am on the bench, I can make an impact.”Arsenal can take a huge leap towards confirming a top eight spot in the new league format of the Champions League with victory over Fabio Cannavaro’s Dinamo Zagreb.With his men in third place with 13 points from six outings, Arteta said: “We are in a really strong position and now we try to capitalise.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I don’t want [my players] to feel unlucky with recent results. We have to control what we can control. Is there anything better we could have done to win [against Villa] by a big margin? Yes.“We focus on that. Now it is in our hands to change it and move forward.” More

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      Chelsea ‘consider transfer for Dusan Vlahovic and could send star in opposite direction’ with Arsenal also linked

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      CHELSEA are targeting Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic, who has also been linked with rivals Arsenal.The Gunners have found themselves short in attack with Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka injured, while Kai Havertz is not a natural centre-forward.Chelsea are eyeing Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic during the January transfer windowCredit: GettyChelsea are considering Vlahovic as a replacement for wantaway star Christopher NkunkuCredit: GettyChelsea are considering a swap deal involving Renato VeigaCredit: RexAnd the Blues are thinking ahead as Christopher Nkunku has grown frustrated with the lack of minutes in the Premier League and wants to move elsewhere.Nkunku, 27, has been linked with a return to Germany as Bayern Munich pose as a potential new challenge for the former RB Leipzig star, who will be worth in excess of £60million.That is why the West Londoners are now keeping tabs on Vlahovic, 24, as a potential replacement.According to The Times, Chelsea are eyeing the Serbia international and considering a potential swap deal.Read More on FootballThat would see Renato Veiga going to Juventus during the January transfer window.Veiga, 21, has also struggled for minutes under Enzo Maresca, who places him at full-back rather than the player’s preferred position at centre-back.Juventus are keen on the Portugal international as they see him as a potential replacement for the injured Gleison Bremer.Vlahovic has amassed a total of 53 goals and 11 assists in 125 appearances with Juventus ever since his £62m switch from Fiorentina in 2022.Most read in FootballThe Serbia international has fared very well this season as he has registered 12 goals and two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.The striker only has 18 months left on his contract with Juventus who are facing the risk of losing him for free next year.Dusan Vlahovic shows his football skills when he joins Juventus in training The Serie A giants want to tie Vlahovic to a new deal but are unlikely to offer him a new contract matching his current salary of just under £10m per year. More