Dusan Vlahovic has told friends he has no intention of leaving Juventus amid rumours the club are ready to offer him to Manchester United in exchange for Jadon Sancho.
The 25-year-old striker arrived in Turin with weighty expectations on his shoulders having joined Juve for a fee of €70million (£60m) from Fiorentina back in 2022.
But despite scoring 58 goals in 145 games, Vlahovic has struggled to live up to his hefty price tag at Juve and there has been mounting speculation that the forward could be set for the exit door this summer.
Turkish Super Lig outfit Fenerbahce have been credited with a strong interest, with Jose Mourinho actively encouraging club bosses to get a deal over the line for the Serbia international.
The Saudi Pro League has been mooted as another potential destination while Old Trafford has also been named as a possible option for the burly attacker.
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Reports emanating out of Italy last week claimed Juve could be prepared to offer up Vlahovic to the Red Devils in a proposed swap deal for Sancho, who the Serie A giants have long admired.
It was claimed that Juve had ‘not let go’ of the idea of landing Sancho having first considered a move for the winger over a year ago, before he joined Chelsea on loan.
But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vlahovic is ‘digging in his heels’ and has told close pals that he has no interest in departing Juventus ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Instead, Vlahovic plans to run down his contract and leave on a free transfer in 12 months’ time, when hopes to be in a strong position to negotiate wages with potential suitors.
The report suggests the relationship has grown increasingly ‘tense’ between Vlahovic and Juventus, with The Old Lady keen to replace him with Lille and Canada centre-forward Jonathan David.
Vlahovic scored just ten league goals as Juventus endured a difficult campaign last term, in which they finished without any major trophies under head coach Igor Tudor.
The Serbian’s only piece of silverware to date with Juventus came last year when he scored the decisive goal in the side’s Coppa Italia final victory over Atalanta.
Earlier this month, Juve general manager Damien Comolli revealed that he was in talks with Vlahovic to determine what the attacker ‘has in mind’ amid uncertainty over his future.
I spoke with Dusan last week. The player should return soon and I want to speak to him to find out what he has in mind,’ Comolli said.
‘He is a top player. Something did not work [last season], I realise it is not enough.
‘I do not know who is to blame. I have to speak to the player and understand because there is no doubt that he is a top player.
‘We need to understand what his intentions are.’
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