Juventus forward Vlahovic signs three-year Besiktas deal

Juventus' Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic has penned a three-year deal with Turkish club Besiktas (MARCO BERTORELLO) Serbian international Dusan Vlahovic on Thursday signed a three-year deal with Turkish club Besiktas after an injury-marred final year in Italy with Juventus.  The 26-year-old forward, whose contract with the Serie A giants expired this summer, will earn 7.5 million euros ($8.6 million) per season in Istanbul, Besiktas said in a statement. The 41-times capped player was greeted by a crowd of supporters as he touched down in Istanbul on Wednesday night.  "We want to be champions," the Serb declared on his arrival.  In Turkey he will play alongside Belgian forward Leandro Trossard who joined from Arsenal in mid-July.  Vlahovic joined Juventus from Fiorentina in the summer of 2022 and scored 68 goals in 168 matches for the Turin club. However, Serie A's second-highest scorer in the 2023-2024 season with 16 goals subsequently fell down the pecking order of strikers.  After returning last April from a long layoff due to a thigh injury, the Serbian suffered a calf problem, finishing the league season with just seven goals to his name.  Last crowned Turkish champions in 2021, Besiktas have since struggled to compete with Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, the city's other two major clubs. rba/ea/bsp