Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic made a timely return to the scoresheet while his future still hangs in the balance.
The 26-year-old’s contract will expire at the end of the season, and it remains unclear whether he’ll sign an extension or head towards free agency.
Earlier in the campaign, it was widely believed that the parties would part ways at the end of the season. However, they have recently decided to revive their negotiations, with the player’s father, Milos Vlahovic, playing a crucial role.
While the striker and the club have made some progress in recent weeks, they have yet to find a definitive agreement.
Luciano Spalletti urging Juventus to keep Dusan Vlahovic
On Sunday, Vlahovic ended his six-month goal drought by scoring the equaliser against Hellas Verona. Sadly for the Old Lady, this stellar strike was only worth one point, with the team failing to find a winner.
But according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, this goal could make a large difference for Vlahovic and his future in Turin.
This Serbian international didn’t only prove his worth from a technical standpoint, but as Luciano Spalletti noted, he also displayed his leadership skills on the pitch, while encouraging his teammates to push forward and fight until the very end.
The pink newspaper insists that Vlahovic wasn’t playing or acting like someone who has already packed his bags, but a protagonist who intends to stay for years to come.
Juve still have doubts over Vlahovic
On the other hand, Sport Mediaset (via TuttoJuve) paints a slightly less positive picture. The source confirms that Vlahovic has Spalletti’s backing, but the hierarchy isn’t totally convinced.
But while the management would prefer to turn to other solutions upfront, the lack of suitable replacements could see them resort to the Serbian international after all.
The report mentions Barcelona veteran Robert Lewandowski as a possible solution, but his age (38 in the summer) represents a major concern.
Therefore, it remains to be seen what the next rounds of negotiations between Juventus and Vlahovic will yield.
The former Fiorentina star is said to be willing to halve his yearly net salary from €12 million to circa €6 million, which could pave the way for an eventual agreement.
The post How Verona goal will impact Juventus-Vlahovic contract talks appeared first on Juvefc.com.