Arsenal are front runners to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.
That’s according to a recent report from the Independent, who claims the Gunners are well placed to land one of Europe’s most highly-rated strikers.
Vlahovic, 21, joined Fiorentina in 2018 following a modest £1.8m move from Partizan.
Since his arrival in Italy’s top-flight, the talented Serbia international has gone on to feature in 106 matches, in all competitions, directly contributing to an impressive 54 goals, along the way.
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Quickly emerging as one of the most sought after attackers in European football, Vlahovic was expected to have a host of offers come in at the end of the season.
However, storming to the front of the queue are Arteta’s Gunners, who appear set to replace current striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and could even make an official approach this month.
A deal won’t come cheap though as Fiorentina are hopeful they can secure as much as £75m for the 21-year-old.
Despite struggling for results at the beginning of the season, a spell of fine form for the Londoners has seen them turn their Premier League fortunes around.
Currently sitting fourth in the league table, the Gunners are now in with a great chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League and that would only be strengthened by the arrival of Vlahovic.
The club’s desire to seal a long-term target man would have been amplified by the uncertainly surrounding several current strikers.
Discussing several of his striker’s contracts last month, Arteta, as quoted by the Guardian, admitted that a ‘cloud’ is hanging over some of his players.
“We have a cloud,” Arteta said. “And the cloud is there and, at the moment, we’re not able to change it.
“We’re working on it to try to make it as small as possible and as clear as possible, but it’s the situation we are in because contracts have details, the timing of them is tricky and we are trying to resolve it.”
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