Manchester United are reportedly in talks with Juventus over a swap deal for striker Dusan Vlahovic, who’s now said to be a ‘priority’ for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
Vlahovic moved to Juve for around £60m in January 2022 when Arsenal were also keen on landing the Serbian.
He’s got 53 goals and 11 assists in 123 appearances in an up and down spell with the Old Lady, and it’s thought manager Thiago Motta is willing to part with the 24-year-old if they can source a suitable replacement.
Transfer expert Rudy Galetti claimed on Thursday that the Gunners ‘are prioritizing Dusan Vlahovic as their top January target, with Arteta favoring him over a direct Saka replacement’.
Brentford’s Bryan Mbuemo is joined by Jamie Gittens and Leroy Sane as alternative options in the winter window for Arsenal, who reportedly face competition from United – who have a useful bargaining chip – in their bid to pinch Vlahovic from under their nose.
Motta would welcome the chance to again work with Joshua Zirkzee, who could leave Old Trafford in January having only moved to United in the summer.
He was unceremoniously hooked after half an hour against Newcastle, to jeers from the United fans, with Amorim now ‘officially rejecting” him as an option going forward.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described the situation against Newcastle as “brutal,” adding: “I actually feel sorry for him. There is a human being in there. He is being cheered off by his own fans, and that is brutal.”
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Zirkzee earned his £36m summer move to United through his performances under Motta at Bologna, helping the Serie A side to their groundbreaking qualification for the Champions League, before the head coach also left, for Juventus.
A return to Serie A was on the cards even before the home fans’ reaction to his substitution vs Newcastle and reports suggest Zirkzee would more than welcome an escape from Old Trafford.
Antonio Conte is also thought to be keen on bringing Zirkzee to Napoli, but Juventus are particularly keen on the move, with sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli already hinting at a possible move.
Juventus’ financial constraints are a problem, prompting talks with United over a creative solution.
According to journalist Enrico Camelio (via Radio Radio Lo Sport), United and Juventus are exploring the possibility of a sensational swap deal involving Zirkzee and Vlahovic.
He said: “In Italy he had done well in Parma and then very well in Bologna precisely with Motta. We are working on it, but there is an idea of an exchange between Vlahovic and Zirkzee, let’s see how the situation evolves.
“The idea is plausible; the Dutchman would find the coach who consecrated him again.”
