Biggest market value winner 2021
Recently, rumours were gathering pace, that Serie A top scorer Dusan Vlahovic could leave Fiorentina for Juventus in January – now, only the medical and his signature are pending. The Old Lady published pictures of the striker, who is set to become the most expensive winter transfer in 2022, arriving on Friday morning.
#Vlahovic #JMedical pic.twitter.com/PZrleu5a9Y
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) January 28, 2022
This article first appeared on Transfermarkt on January 25, 2022, and was updated after Vlahovic’s arrival in Turin.
“We need to understand what he wants – we are open to everything. There I leave no room for interpretation,” Viola sporting director Daniele Pradè said on Sportitalia on Monday evening. In doing so, Pradè explicitly did not rule out a sale of the world’s biggest market value winner in 2021 to arch-rivals Juventus.
The Bianconeri have long been considered to be interested in Vlahovic, the most serious competitors are said to be Arsenal. According to consistent reports from Italy, among others from the transfer experts Gianluca Di Marzio and Fabrizio Romano, Juventus currently have much better chances. The Italian record titleholders have reportedly officially contacted Fiorentina and are preparing an offer.
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Sportitalia even goes a step further and reports that an agreement between the two clubs has already been reached – at €67 million plus possible bonus payments. Regarding the demands of the Tuscany club, Pradè had said: “This is a very important valuation – over €70 million. Without a swap deal and absolutely without multi-year instalments. The president has asked us to do this.” At the sums mentioned, the 17-goal striker would replace Barcelona’s new signing Ferran Torres (€55 million) as the most expensive winter transfer.
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Pradè immediately added the dilemma in the case of Vlahovic, whose goals have given the traditional club a chance of a finishing in a European spot for the firstm time in years this season: “We have to understand what he and his agents want. Of course, we are also open to an extension, but we have offers to sell him at a high price. I say that because a club that earns €75 million a year and has such a valuable asset can’t afford to lose it for free.” Vlahovic’s contract expires in 2023, the Serbian international had rejected an extension in the fall despite a record offer in terms of salary.
Are Dybala, Morata or de Ligt leaving? Juventus must free up budget for Vlahovic
For Juventus, who are fighting for a place in the Champions League this season instead of the title but have been in good form recently, the main issue is financing the deal – especially if Fiorentina insist on receiving the transfer fee immediately and in one instalment. Jatin Dietl, Transfermarkt Area Manager IT, says: “At the moment, everything points to Vlahovic actually going to Juve. However, it is quite possible that other top-class players will have to make room for him. A move of Álvaro Morata to FC Barcelona will also become much more likely again if it is completed, and the question of Paulo Dybala’s future will also arise. Juventus have recently put negotiations to extend the expiring contract on hold due to the high salary demands.”
“At the same time, Vlahovic is expected to receive €7 million net annually on a four-year contract – money that would probably have gone into Dybala’s account without the transfer. The extension is still possible, of course, but Juventus need room in their budget. No club in Italy currently has so many open liabilities in purchase options and obligations, this concerns Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli, among others – without Morata, the figure is €93 million. In addition, a hot candidate for a departure could therefore be defender Matthijs de Ligt, whose potential desire to move on has already been indicated by agent Mino Raiola,” Dietl continues.
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Fittingly, it could be Vlahovic’s goals that put Chiesa’s €40 million purchase obligation into effect. This will be achieved, among other things, by Juventus finishing in the top four. Due to his cruciate ligament rupture, the Euro winner will no longer reach the conditions attached to performance data. However, due to his importance at Juventus, it can be assumed that Chiesa will be signed on a permanent basis anyway.
After Chiesa, Federico Bernardeschi and Roberto Baggio, whose transfer in 1990 started the rivalry between fans of both clubs, Vlahovic would be the next Fiorentina star to move to Turin for big money. In the wake of the overnight news, AC fans hung racist banners at the club’s training ground.
Fiorentina look for Vlahovic replacement: focus on Cabral and Milik
If Vlahovic were to leave La Viola in the winter, a replacement would have to be found as quickly as possible to reach this season’s targets. According to Di Marzio’s editorial team, initial efforts in this regard are already underway. The most likely names: Arthur Cabral of FC Basel and Arkadiusz Milik of Olympique Marseille. For the Brazilian, Fiorentina have reportedly already made an initial offer to the Swiss club – €14 million plus possible bonus payments. Cabral, who scored 27 goals and provided eight assists in 31 competitive matches for FCB this season, is the preferred option.
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Pradè said: “The transfer market closes on January 31, so how could I say it’s over now? We are prepared for all eventualities. We have a great scouting department and are very well managed by Joe Barone.”
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