Man Utd Closes In on Cut-Price January Striker as Transfer Battle Heats Up
Manchester United are reportedly "leading the charge" among clubs interested in acquiring Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović, potentially as early as January, though they face competition from domestic and international rivals for the Serbian striker.
Vlahović found himself at the center of numerous transfer rumors during the summer window as he entered the final year of his expensive Juventus deal. The 25-year-old possesses a playing style characterized by clinical efficiency, recording one attempt every 8.3 touches during his Serie A tenure in Turin. However, when his scoring form falters—as occurred last season—Vlahović offers limited alternative contributions.
The unpredictable striker stayed at Juve, rejecting all approaches that came his way during the summer, but has reportedly been made available for transfer in 2026, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Manchester United are said to hold substantial interest in Vlahović, alongside Premier League competitors Chelsea.
Juve's number 9 is believed to be Serie A's highest earner, commanding an annual wage of €12 million (£10.5 million, $14.1 million). The club's valuation expectations have dropped significantly, with reports suggesting as little as €10–15 million might be acceptable in January given he would become a free agent when his deal concludes in June.
Eliminating six months of Vlahović's wages is reportedly viewed by Juve as a substantial financial relief on its own.
United invested over €230 million during the summer transfer period on revamping their attack, headlined by Slovenian forward Benjamin Šeško. However, Ruben Amorim's struggling team has barely seen meaningful improvement in results, despite more promising underlying offensive statistics.
Bayern Munich to Challenge Man Utd for Vlahovic
Juventus have an abundance of strikers following the summer acquisitions of Loïs Openda and Jonathan David. Nevertheless, they might be compelled to retain Vlahović until his contract expires.
Bayern Munich are reportedly evaluating the tall forward as a cost-effective option for next summer, according to BILD. Harry Kane has been consistently linked with a departure in 2026, when he's expected to be available for €65 million due to a contractual clause, and attention is already turning to his potential replacement.
Vlahović lacks the creative abilities that Kane provides but could flourish with the service from Bayern's collection of inventive playmakers distributed throughout their attack.