Arsenal, Spurs boost as Fiorentina confirm £35m contract snub

Will Ford
Vlahovic Kane

Arsenal and Tottenham have been handed a boost in their bid to sign Dusan Vlahovic after Fiorentina confirmed the striker rejected a huge contract offer from the Italian club.

The Serbian has already scored six goals this season after netting 21 times last season.

Spurs were reportedly looking at Vlahovic as a potential replacement for Harry Kane in the summer and Arsenal have also been linked with the striker with Alexandre Lacazette set for the Emirates exit.


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Rocco Commisso talked down a move away for Vlahovic as the club put together a new deal for the 21-year-old, but the Fiorentina president has now confirmed that their attempts to tie the striker down have failed.

“When I arrived in Florence, I promised the fans that I would be up front with them and that I would never make promises that I couldn’t keep,” Commisso shared in an official club statement on Tuesday morning.

“I would therefore like to update the Fiorentina fans on an issue that has been much talked and spoken about in recent months – the question of Dusan Vlahovic’s contract.

“As you know, Fiorentina made a very significant offer to the player. Our proposal would have made him the highest paid player in the history of the club.

“We also improved our offer on a number of occasions in order to accommodate the requests of both Dusan and his entourage. However, despite our efforts, those offers have not been accepted.

“During my time in Florence over the past few weeks, I have personally endeavoured to find a solution that would make both the player and the club happy, but I am disappointed to say that our efforts and attempts have not been rewarded.

“At this point, all that we can do is acknowledge the wishes of the player and his entourage and quickly identify feasible, appropriate solutions as we proceed with this exciting new season.

“In any case, Dusan Vlahovic has a contract linking him to Fiorentina for the next 21 months. We have no doubt that the player will – as he always has – do his bit to help the team achieve its objectives, showing the same level of professionalism he has shown since he arrived in Florence, with the utmost respect from our fans, his team-mates, the coach and the club as a whole.”