Arsenal ‘meet Fiorentina’s demands’ with Dusan Vlahovic offer but Edu faces big problem

Premier League transfer rumours – January 14th

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Arsenal director Edu could be set to miss out on the capture of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic despite making an acceptable offer for the 21-year-old’s services, according to reports. The Gunners have been heavily linked with Vlahovic since the beginning of the summer and are believed to be keen on bringing him to the Emirates Stadium before the end of the January transfer window.

Vlahovic has emerged as one of Europe’s most prolific strikers in recent years, having scored 41 goals in all competitions over the last two seasons.

He is widely expected to leave Fiorentina in the near future after turning down the offer of a contract extension with his current employers.

A number of interested parties are said to be keeping tabs on Vlahovic, but Arsenal have reportedly drawn up plans to nip ahead of the competition by snapping him up over the coming weeks.

They have identified the Serbian international as their priority target and look set to push hard in their efforts to strike a deal before the end of the month.

Arsenal tick a lot of boxes for Vlahovic and have already tabled an opening bid that matches Fiorentina’s valuation of the player, according to The Mirror.

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It is claimed that Edu has submitted a formal offer in the region of £50million plus Gunners outcast Lucas Torreira, who is set to go the other way in a part-exchange deal.

The club have also set aside around £8m in agent fees to sweeten the move, while the offer of a £300,000 per week salary meets Vlahovic’s expectations.

However, there is said to be a significant issue in play that could prevent Arsenal from rubber-stamping the proposed switch.

Vlahovic is determined to join a club that is regularly in the Champions League, suggesting that he could decide to snub Arsenal and hold out until the summer in order to entertain future offers from elsewhere.

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently on course to register a top-four finish in the Premier League for the first time since 2016, but their participation in Europe’s premier club competition ahead of next season is not a given.

It remains to be seen whether Vlahovic will shelve his concerns in order to join the Gunners or turn down the move in the hope of receiving a fresh offer from a bigger club over the coming months.

Arsenal icon Ian Wright recently urged his former employers to chase a move for the Serbia international, insisting that he could serve as the missing piece of the puzzle in attack.

“Arsenal have done fantastic business up until this point,” explained Wright on The Kelly and Wrighty Show.

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“I believe they do need to get another striker, even if everything can be sorted with [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang. I’m hearing Vlahovic from Fiorentina.

“We need that player who can be between [Alexandre] Lacazette and Aubameyang. I don’t know what’s happening with Laca, I’d love him to stay.

“I don’t know what’s happening with him, and we don’t know what’s happening with Aubameyang.

“But if we can get that striker, that hard-running striker who is good at the link-up play and is a good finisher – which Vlahovic is – then you’re starting to think it’s starting to happen now for Arsenal.”

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