Juventus and Dusan Vlahovic did not reach an agreement on a contract renewal, putting an end to negotiations that had been going on for more than a year and a half. The contract ends on June 30th and the player must leave the club without transfer costs.
Key details
The main disagreement was related to salary: Vlahovic demanded around 8 million euros per year, plus bonuses and commissions, while the Juventus board did not exceed 6 million per season, plus bonuses, refusing additional charges considered excessive.
Coach Luciano Spalletti, however, saw the striker as an essential piece in the sporting project. «We suffer from the lack of Vlahovic like bread in our mouths. You can’t play football without someone with his characteristics, without a physical, strong reference, who scores goals”, he said, publicly insisting on his importance.
But the management was unable to align the renewal with the player’s demands. The failure of alternatives on the market and the inconsistency of the offensive squad ended up reopening conversations that, even so, did not have a positive outcome.
With the departure confirmed at zero cost, Juventus is now preparing to reformulate the offensive sector and alleviate its payroll, estimating to free up more than 40 million euros in costs. The club should enter the market to sign at least two strikers to make up for the loss of the Serbian international.
Dusan Vlahovic, 26, had twelve goals and two assists in 28 games for Juventus this season. It is valued at 37 million euros by the specialized website Transfermarkt.
Read more in Serie A news. and related tags: Juventus Juventus, Dusan Vlahovic.