Arsenal target prolific £352k-p/w “goal-machine”

It’s been a frustrating campaign for Arsenal this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side have lost just two games in the Premier League and are the only team to remain unbeaten at home, yet they find themselves nine points off leaders Liverpool.

The main reason the Gunners currently find themselves so far behind the Reds then is not their defence but their attack, as goals have been harder to come by this year than in the previous two campaigns.

So, recent reports linking the club with one of Europe’s most devastating strikers should excite the fans, even if it could be bad news for Kai Havertz.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in Juventus’ star striker Dušan Vlahović.

Interestingly, the report has revealed that alongside the Gunners, fellow Premier League side and London rivals Chelsea are also keen to land the Serbian international.

Despite proving to be an essential player for the Old Lady, the story claims that their financial position could see them sell him next year, with other reports from earlier this year suggesting he’d cost around £67m

It could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Vlahovic’s incredible ability, it’s worth pursuing, even if it could be bad news for Havertz.

How Vlahović compares to Havertz

So, if Arsenal were to go out and splash £67m or more on Vlahović next month, it would almost certainly be with the intention of playing him as much as possible.

Therefore, he’d be in direct competition with Havertz for a starting berth in the team, so how do the pair compare?

Well, when it comes to the most important metric of all for a striker, their output, it’s the Juventus star that comes out on top, and consistently so.

For example, since the start of the 22/23 season, the Serbian “goal machine,” as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has found the back of the net 44 times and provided nine assists in 102 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 1.92 games.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 has scored 35 goals and provided 11 assists in 123 games across the same period, meaning he’s managed a slightly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.67 games.

Moreover, while the German has been playing for the second-best team in England over the last season and a half and has benefited from the chances created by Martin Odegaard and Saka, the Belgrade-born gem has been a reliable source of goals for a Juventus team who are miles away from the team who won Scudettos at a canter.

Lastly, with a brilliant record of 49 goals and eight assists in 108 appearances for Fiorentina, Arteta and Co can rest assured that the £352k-per-week sensation can produce a regular supply of goals when playing for another team.

Ultimately, while he might not be the first name on many fans’ wishlists, Vlahović has proven over the last few years that he’s an elite goalscorer, and given Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal this season, he’s the perfect signing.

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