Vlahovic flirts with Barcelona move as Serbian fitness guru spills the beans
Former Partizan coach Dusan Ilic suggests Juventus striker could make free transfer to Camp Nou despite his massive Serie A wages becoming a potential stumbling block.
The future of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has taken an interesting turn with comments from his former fitness coach suggesting a potential Barcelona move could be on the cards.
Fitness guru lets slip
Dusan Ilic, a Serbian fitness coach who worked closely with Vlahovic during his early days at Partizan Belgrade, has set tongues wagging with some rather interesting comments about the striker’s future.
“Por mí, se irá al Barcelona,” Ilic told Tuttosport, essentially suggesting he believes the forward will end up at the Catalan giants.
The comments have caused quite the kerfuffle in Italian football circles, prompting Ilic to backpedal faster than a defender facing peak Messi. He quickly issued a clarification stating he hasn’t actually been in contact with Vlahovic for some time and was merely expressing a personal opinion.
Juventus struggles
Vlahovic’s time in Turin has been a proper dog’s dinner since his big-money move from Fiorentina in January 2022:
- Currently sidelined with an adductor problem since late November
- Performance levels nowhere near his Fiorentina form (where he bagged 64 goals in 108 matches)
- Juventus splashed out €84 million for his services
- Now reportedly the highest-paid player in Serie A
Ilic believes a move away from Juventus is exactly what Vlahovic needs to rediscover his form: “Only by leaving Turin will he return to being the player we saw at Fiorentina.”
Barcelona obstacles
Despite the temptation of landing a potentially world-class striker on a free transfer when his contract expires in June, Barcelona face significant hurdles:
- Vlahovic’s enormous salary demands (reportedly double that of Jonathan David, Juve’s second-highest earner)
- Ongoing financial constraints at Camp Nou
- Competition from other European heavyweights
Interestingly, Juventus sporting director Marco Ottolini has suggested that Vlahovic’s future “is not a completely closed topic,” hinting that the Old Lady hasn’t given up on keeping their expensive asset.
For Barcelona fans, the prospect of landing such a talented striker on a free would be the dog’s Bristols, but whether they can afford his wages is another matter entirely.