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#3 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund have a very interesting case, and eagle-eyed fans have already linked Dusan Vlahovic with the club. The Black and Yellows' star man Erling Haaland has a €75 million release clause getting activated this summer. Should he leave, Dortmund could look to bring in a suitable replacement. Enter - Dusan Vlahovic.
Haaland looks set to leave the club, with his one foot already out the door. With giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City vying for his signature, Dortmund have heaped pressure on the Norwegian to make a decision soon.
Replacing Haaland with Vlahovic would be a straight swap in terms of the fees involved as well. That's because the Serb is valued at a similar price as Haaland's release clause.
In what seems to be an underrated link-up, Vlahovic would be the perfect striker for a young, dynamic, fearless and attacking team like Borussia Dortmund. Alongside young stars like Jude Bellingham and Donyell Malen, the Serb could grow his stock, and form strong partnerships on the field. Signing him would also be a statement of intent from Dortmund to their fierce rivals Bayern Munich, who have been dominant in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund's pursuit of Vlahovic could be one to watch for, and will likely gain momentum once the ongoing season ends.
#2 Juventus
The inevitability of a player entering the final six months of their contract and Juventus swooping in to sign them on a free transfer is remarkable.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo left for a return to Manchester United in 2021, the Bianconeri have lacked a serious and consistent goalscoring threat. Alvaro Morata's inconsistency and Paulo Dybala's injury issues have stunted their progress after Ronaldo's exit.
The club have been strongly linked with a move for Dusan Vlahovic in recent weeks. However, Allegri has publicly spoken of the club's financial constraints due to their hefty wage bills. He mentioned that the Old Lady need to offload several players to accommodate new players.
It looks unlikely Juventus would make a move for Vlahovic in January, or even in the summer, considering their financial constraints. However, they hold significant power in the Italian transfer market. The moment they step in, they could be the frontrunners to sign Vlahovic.
#1 Arsenal
Arsenal's resurgence since the start of the 2021-22 Premier League season has been nothing short of remarkable.
From bottom of the table in September, the Gunners have climbed to fifth place. They have earned 35 points from 20 games, and are two points adrift of West Ham United in fourth, and with two games in hand.
Recently, manager Mikel Arteta indefinitely froze Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the first team due to disciplinary issues. The Gabon striker was even stripped off his captaincy. Meanwhile, Alexandre Lacazette is in the final six months of his deal with the Gunners. That could leave a huge gap in Arsenal's attacking options, and needs to be urgently addressed.
Aubameyang endured a tough month with the Gunners and personally as well. His teammates, and Arsenal fans will hope to see him back in the fold soon.
Meanwhile, Vlahovic has emerged as the main target for the Gunners, owing to two main reasons. First and foremost, his playing style suits Arsenal, who have several runners from midfield and wing-back areas to attack the goal. The Serb could use his hold-up play to bring the likes of Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka into games.
The second reason is what currently makes Arsenal the arguable frontrunners for his signature. Fiorentina have the Gunners' Lucas Torreira on loan, and the Uruguayan has fit like a hand in a glove with La Viola. He has started 17 of 19 games across competitions for the club this season, so they're keen to sign him permanently.
The Gunners, too, are keen to use Torreira as a bargaining chip in a deal for Vlahovic. That would help them knock a significant chunk off the Serb's transfer fee. Both clubs seem keen on the deal too. However, the player's agent could have the final say regarding Vlahovic's move out of Fiorentina.
