EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal eye double-swoop for Dusan Vlahovic and Marcos Leonardo
Steve Kay
- Updated: 23 Nov 2023 22:14 GMT
- 3 min read
Arsenal are weighing up moves for both Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic and Santos wonderkid Marcos Leonardo FootballTransfers has been told.
FootballTransfers exclusively revealed in July that Arsenal had sent scouts out to watch 20-year-old Leonardo but now, according to sources, the Gunners want to revamp their forward line in January with the possible addition of Vlahovic as well as the Brazilian U23 international.
We are told that scouts flew to Brazil a second time to watch Leandro play for Santos in their 7-0 defeat against Internacional.
Leonardo is massively admired by Arsenal, especially by the club’s director of football, Edu. Arsenal will be hoping that the Brazilian connection at Arsenal would go a long way to convince the prolific young goalscorer to sign on the dotted line for somewhere around €15million-€20m.
Superagent Rafaela Pimenta, who we revealed is working with agency Dodici Sports BR to bring Leonardo to Europe, confirmed that the player will depart Santos in January. She said: “Already in the previous transfer window, he had the possibility of being sold. But Santos’ sporting situation was very particular. He agreed to stay because he wanted to help out until the end of the season. He didn’t want to leave because it wasn’t the right thing to do.
“But the time has come for the transfer. He wants to have a European experience, and his time will come this winter.”
When is Vlahovic's contract up?
Arsenal see Vlahovic as someone who can bring about a sure-fire of goals in the second half of the season and beyond.
Juventus spent €70m for Vlahovic back in January 2022 after the Serbian scored a Serie A-record 33 goals in the calendar year of 2021. His current deal ends with the Old Lady in 2026, but it’s thought that they are trying to secure the 23-year-old to fresh terms.
