Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur target Dusan Vlahovic was not included in Fiorentina's squad to face Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday lunchtime.
The 21-year-old has been linked with a transfer to both north London clubs this January window as they look to take advantage of his contract situation. Vlahovic has 18 months remaining on his current deal and Fiorentina must cash in in January or in the summer after the club admitted that he would not be signing a new deal.
While some may have thought the striker was absent due to an impending move to London, as is often the case before star players make high-profile transfers, the real reason is much more innocent.
As reported by Italian journalist Giacomo Iacobellis on Twitter, Vlahovic has tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss the contest against Cagliari as a result.
football.london reported that Arsenal have made a push to sign Vlahovic this window rather than the summer, but that the striker would prefer to remain in Serie A. Issues relating to agent fees have also arisen.
Edu is 'doing everything' possible to thrash out a deal this month, while Mikel Arteta has pushed hard to sign Vlahovic, who is his number one transfer target.
Arsenal, of course, are in need of a centre-forward with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah in the final six months of their respective contracts and seemingly set to leave at the end of the season, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks set to leave the club after being stripped of the captaincy.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina seem keen to cash in on Vlahovic, though agent fees and the striker's willingness to leave Italy have presented hurdles for any possible transfer.
Arteta has not commented publicly on individual players, but he has made no secret of his desire to bolster the Arsenal team as they compete for a top-four finish.
"The team are working extremely hard to get the players that we want and we have no news to give you," he said after Thursday's defeat to Liverpool, which knocked the Gunners out of the Carabao Cup and left them without the chance of winning a trophy this season.
"We have a plan to try to bring players in and try to get the players we want with the right qualities and improve the squad in the best possible way every single window."
The striker has also been linked with a move to Tottenham, with Antonio Conte expressing his desire to strengthen his squad.
"I made evaluations about the squad but I have spoken with the club and I hope the club will listen to me," the manager said.
Vlahovic may not be willing to sit behind Harry Kane, and Arsenal's weakness at the centre-forward position perhaps makes them more desperate to secure the transfer, but his absence from Fiorentina's squad against Cagliari does not provide any greater insight into whether he will indeed stay or go.
