Journalist Pete O'Rourke has been left thrilled as Arsenal eye a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, calling him a potential "big-name" signing.
What's the latest news on Vlahovic to Arsenal?
Mikel Arteta's side are currently locked toe-to-toe with Premier League champions Man City for this year's domestic crown with 2022/2023 coming as one of their most important campaigns to date.
The Gunners dropped points away to Liverpool on Sunday, meaning Arsenal may have to win all of their remaining games and cannot afford to drop points with Pep Guardiola lingering just behind them.
It's set to be a dramatic last eight games of the season for supporters, and while Arteta fights to end Arsenal's near-20-year wait for a league title, transfer chief Edu is working on strengthening the Spaniard's options.
Indeed, it has been reported that Serbia international Vlahovic is among Arsenal's transfer targets amid their search for more forward options with a summer attempt to sign him 'very likely' (Niccolò Ceccarini). This comes after Arsenal tried to sign the 23-year-old before his move to Juve.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter O'Rourke has raved over the links to Vlahovic – claiming their ambitious interest shows just how much progress Arsenal are making now.
He also says that the attacker would come as a 'big-name signing' for Arteta. O'Rourke explained:
"He's a proven striker; he's done really well in Serie A and also on the international scene as well, so that'd be a big-name signing and it would just continue to show the progress that Arsenal are making that they are actually able to make these types of signings."
Would Vlahovic upgrade Arsenal?
Injuries to both Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus at various points this season perhaps suggest that Arteta could benefit from having another centre-forward option.
Vlahovic, who is Juve's joint-top Serie A goalscorer alongside Adrien Rabiot, could fit the bill – having racked up 10 goal contributions in 18 league starts this season.
As well as this, the former Fiorentina star has averaged Juve's highest rate of attempts at goal per 90 (2.8) with only Jesus totalling a higher number at Arsenal this term (WhoScored).
Vlahovic is also still only 23, so could potentially arrive as both a statement acquisition and a long-term investment for the future. To keep playing at this level and challenging the likes of City, Arsenal should be attempting to make these kinds of signings.
