Despite three defeats out of three at the start of the season, Arsenal have bounced back incredibly. Mikel Arteta has really stamped his authority and identity on this youthful side and the Gunners are well in contention for finishing in the top four for the first time since the 2015/16 season.
Even though there is huge optimism around the club at this moment in time, fans are desperate to see more options added to the squad.
With the ongoing debacle surrounding former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arteta’s side lacks a significant presence upfront. One man who many of the Arsenal faithful would love to see come to the Emirates is Dusan Vlahovic.
The numbers Vlahovic has been putting up simply speak for themselves. With 16 league goals already this season, the 21-year-old is hot property. If Arsenal can secure the Serbian’s signature it would almost certainly be the signing of the window. But there seems to be one huge factor that’s preventing this potentially season-defying transfer.
On yesterday's The Arsenal Way 'Talking Transfers' show, Tom Canton (TC) and Umar Choudhry (UC) discussed all of Arsenal’s potential ingoings and outgoings, including the situation surrounding Vlahovic.
TC: “From speaking to people that know around the deal and the situation around the deal. It’s not an issue with Fiorentina, there's not necessarily an issue with Vlahovic. The issue is all with the agent in this scenario.
“The agent himself and in the Financial Times the header of Fiorentina revealed the agent was asking for something around €8m just to renew the player’s contract and then 10% of any sell-on price which is just unheard of for an agent.
“I know agents get a lot of money but I’ve never heard of a sell-on clause for an agent in a player’s contract. It seems ridiculous.”
UC: “That’s where the situation is and there needs to come a time where Vlahovic says to his agent ‘this is a big opportunity for me, it's Arsenal and you need to take your priorities elsewhere.
“Sack the agent. If he’s causing friction and problems and could potentially ruin a big move for his client; get rid of him.
“Come the summer, possibly an injury may happen or clubs may look elsewhere and all of a sudden Dusan Vlahovic won’t get the club he wants. He needs to think about that but as I’ve said, if we get him it would be a massive signing not just in my eyes but in everyone else’s eyes.
“I’ve got a good feeling, not necessarily looking at only ourselves with the team in a harmonious place. We look strong and can bounce back as well which has been key. But I look at the competition for the top four places and it doesn’t scare me.
“If we’re ambitious in this window instead of looking in the summer, we could be getting the Champions League. Arteta knows that, Edu knows that and I think even Josh Kroenke knows that. Fingers crossed we can get this over the line.”
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