Barcelona activates Vlahovic option: Is a 'low cost' signing on the way?

FC Barcelona has the signing of a '9' as a priority for the summer market of 2026. Beyond what happens with Robert Lewandowski and the good form that Ferran Torres is going through, the team needs to go for another goalscorer to give more depth to Hansi Flick's rotation plan and avoid dependence on the goalscoring production of a single striker.

In that sense, one of the 'low cost' alternatives that the Barça board is considering is Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian, although he earns a high salary (almost 20 million net per year), his contract expires in 2026 and, for the moment, he does not seem to have any intention of renewing with Juventus.

In this regard, the Italian newspaper 'Tuttosport' assures that Deco and the Serbian forward's agent, Darko Ristic, have held contacts in recent months, since the Serbian is very interested in a possible offer from Barça. The Blaugrana team, for now, has his name on the table, but not as a priority.

Barça has Vlahovic as an alternative, but not as a primary option

The thing is, Joan Laporta knows that, with an eye on the summer of 2026, he must make a splash in the market with a 'top' goalscorer. Julián Álvarez and Erling Haaland are the main options, but due to transfer fees and salaries, they are very complicated alternatives while the club does not operate under the 1:1 rule.

The return to the Spotify Camp Nou, in principle, will allow the club to operate with sufficient 'fair play' next summer, but without a major sale, it will be very difficult to amortize a transfer in the order of 100 million euros. Therefore, names like Vlahovic are gaining ground on the Barça radar, especially when it comes to a young player (25 years old) with very interesting records.

During his time in Serie A (Fiorentina and Juventus), the Serbian has scored 111 goals in 161 official matches. Juve paid a net 75 million for his transfer in 2022, and although his market value has fallen to 35 'kilos',

Dusan has 4 goals and 1 assist in 8 matches this season. These records are gradually generating greater interest in signing him next year, especially due to the issue that most interests Barça: the financial aspect.

How much would it cost Barcelona to sign Dusan Vlahovic?

Dusan Vlahovic in a match with Juventus

The thing is, since he's a footballer whose contract ends in June 2026, any club can sign him as a free agent starting next January 1. In other words, Barcelona would only have to negotiate his salary and a signing bonus to secure his incorporation.

However, if Vlahovic wants to have a chance to join the Barça squad, he could only do so by adjusting his salary to no more than 12-15 million net per year. The almost €20M he currently earns in Turin would only be reserved for a contract for a mega star, as would be the case with the arrival of Julián Álvarez in Catalonia.

The Argentinian is, for the moment, the '9' in the best form in LaLiga along with Kylian Mbappé, but Atlético will not facilitate, much less, his departure, with the 'Spider' under contract until 2030 and a market value of 100 'kilos'.

In any case, the first thing Barça must do is get its accounts in order. Lewandowski turned 37 in August and still receives the highest salary in the squad (€26M). His departure will free up significant space, but the club is not ruling out renewing him for another year with a significant adjustment to his fee, provided the Pole approaches his records from the previous year (42 goals).

Will Dusan Vlahovic be Barcelona's next '9'? The Belgrade native, for now, continues to score goals with a Juventus that also hasn't given up on him. The 'Vecchia Signora' intends to renew his contract in order to recover part of the very high investment (exceeding 80 'kilos' including variables) that his signing involved and the limited returns, in terms of trophies, that the Serbian has left in Turin.

Juve hasn't won the Italian league since 2020, and Vlahovic, in three and a half seasons, has only won one Coppa Italia as a 'bianconeri'. A very poor record for someone who, in 21/22, was awarded MVP of Serie A.

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