Manchester United are reportedly set to rival Arsenal for the signature of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic in the summer of 2025.
The Red Devils have struggled for goals all season, with their 3-0 loss against Bournemouth on Sunday the sixth time that the club have failed to score in a Premier League game.
With forward Marcus Rashford having publicly announced his desire to leave Old Trafford this past week, United could certainly do with strengthening their options in the forward line.
Arsenal might have scored five times against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but question marks regarding the long-term suitability of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have not dissipated, despite both scoring against Palace.
Football Insider claim that the Gunners will face fierce competition for to sign Vlahovic, with former Man United chief scout Mick Brown telling them that the Juventus striker has been added to a shortlist featuring the likes of Viktor Gyokeres.
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Vlahovic at Juventus
In just over 1,100 minutes for Juventus in Serie A this season, the 24-year-old has scored seven goals and produced one assist, taking his total league goals for Juve to 40.
Since the 2020-21 campaign, Vlahovic has averaged at least 0.62 goals and assists per 90 in Serie A despite playing for somewhat dysfunctional Juventus teams.
The Serbian has missed 26 games due to injury in his career, with the attacker having only been absent for three matches in the entirety of 2023-24.
Additionally, Vlahovic's age should not prove to be problematic for the likes of Man United or Arsenal given he is young enough to scale his output, while also experienced enough to contribute to both teams immediately.
With the striker's contract set to expire at the end of next season, Vlahovic would certainly be an attractive prospect for many clubs with ambitions of competing in the Champions League.
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Who needs Vlahovic more?
Manchester United's latest defeat highlighted several issues within the squad, and while many will point to their defensive frailty, Ruben Amorim's team also failed to convert any of their four big chances.
In fact, the Red Devils only have the 10th best xG figure in the top flight and have produced the just the joint ninth most big chances.
While signing another striker might not necessarily improve United's chance creation, Vlahovic could at least provide the likes of Bruno Fernandes with a reliable focal point up front.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have also been criticised for their reliance on set pieces considering the Gunners had ranked 11th in the Premier League for xG from open play prior to their 0-0 draw with Everton on December 14.
With Bukayo Saka set to miss out on action for a number of weeks due to a hamstring injury, perhaps Arteta should look to future proof his attack in order to reduce the burden on the Englishman in the final third.
Lewis Nolan
