The Serbian striker has left Juventus as a free agent, bringing years of Arsenal speculation to an end after one of Europe’s most talked-about transfer sagas.
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Dušan Vlahović has finally brought the curtain down on his time at Juventus, with the former Arsenal target completing a free transfer to Beşiktaş after years of speculation linking him with a move to north London.
The Serbia international has signed a three-year contract until June 2029 after leaving Juventus at the end of his deal, ending a four-and-a-half-year spell in Turin during which he scored 68 goals, with 16 assists, in 168 games.
Vlahović’s move unites him with former Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard, who also joined Beşiktaş this summer, while bringing an end to one of the transfer sagas that repeatedly resurfaced around the Emirates.
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Arsenal’s strongest reported pursuit came in January 2022, when Vlahović was starring for Fiorentina and had entered the final 18 months of his contract.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang heading towards the exit, Arsenal identified the prolific striker as a leading target after he scored 41 goals across a season and a half in Florence.
The move never materialised.
Juventus reached an agreement with Fiorentina on a package reported to be worth €75 million and completed the transfer on Vlahović’s 22nd birthday.
Arsenal’s interest was well documented, but the overall financial package proved difficult to match.
Vlahović later rejected the suggestion that he had personally turned Arsenal down, explaining he had never spoken directly with the club and that any discussions would have been handled by his representatives.
His name continued to be linked with Arsenal throughout his Juventus career, particularly as his contract wound down and reports suggested he could become available at a reduced price.
Despite recurring speculation, there was never any confirmed Arsenal bid or advanced negotiations.
Instead, Beşiktaş have secured one of the summer’s most eye-catching free transfers.
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The Turkish club are reported to have offered Vlahović a three-year contract worth around €7.5 million per season (€144kpw), with the absence of a transfer fee allowing them to commit more of their budget towards wages and a signing-on package.
Another significant factor was the presence of manager Vincenzo Italiano, who coached Vlahović at Fiorentina during the most prolific period of his career that saw him score 20 goals, with four assists, in 24 matches under him.
Reports suggest Italiano personally pushed for the reunion and convinced the striker he would again become the focal point of his attack.
Although clubs including Chelsea, Napoli, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Arsenal were all linked with Vlahović at various stages, there is no evidence any submitted formal offers capable of competing with Beşiktaş’s proposal.
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