Should Juve Sell Vlahovic in the Summer?

March 15, 2024 - 10:04 am

Answering this question isn’t as easy as it appears. In general, sports’ transfers depend on various factors, such as players’ performance, players’ contracts, clubs’  financial considerations, and their strategic objectives. Thus, before answering this question, let’s discuss these factors, and we’ll have the answer. 

Juventus’ Strategic Objectives 

Juventus has a reputation of a successful football team worldwide. That wouldn’t be possible without its clear strategic objective and successful team management. Currently, it’s holding the second position in Serie A, right behind Inter, with 57 points. However, it wasn’t qualified for the UEFA 2023/24 season, and it wasn’t successful in the previous season, as well. So, does this mean that Juventus odds are higher for selling Vlahovic this summer?

All the blame can’t be put on one single player. We know that Juventus eagerly seized Vlahovic from Arsenal and paid €80 million to Fiorentina in January 2022. Future in Juventus seemed bright for him, but not for long. He was seriously injured and couldn’t have given his best for the club. This somehow led to his underperformance. 

Also, we wouldn’t be asking this question if there aren’t rumours on his transfer to another club. To be precise, we wrote about this possible swap between Juventus and Atletico Madrid in November 2023, but the deal hasn’t been reached so far. So, another question arises: To what extent is Juventus satisfied with Vlahovic’s performance?

Vlahovic Performance Statistics

Vlahovic is a 24-year old prosperous football player from Serbia. He showcased his skills during his years at Crvena Zvezda and Fiorentina. He was highly welcomed in Juventus as a forward centre player. Unfortunately, his performance for Juvenuts wasn’t as good as expected. Being injured, he missed many matches. Despite his injuries, some fans and football enthusiasts blame the coach Max Allegri hasn’t pulling the best from Vlahović.

Vlahovic’s performance statistics don’t seem satisfying. In other words, his performance in the last two last seasons is marked as weak, especially when talking about offside awareness and defensive contribution, which somehow overshadows his strength as a long-kick player. Also, in this season, he received yellow cards five times during his 1680 minutes of play and scored only 15 goals.

The Club’s Financial Considerations

First of all, transfers shall be perceived as investments. One team pays for a football player in order to improve its play, increase winnings, and earn money.  We’ve all witnessed a successful player sold for enormous amounts of money. Teams ‘’fight’’ whose offer will be more splendid. 

On the other hand, a player who somehow underperforms in a team is sold and replaced by another. We all have to keep in mind that football is a team sport, and it’s crucial how players interact within a team. That also affects the whole play. Maybe Vlahovic couldn’t use his full potential in Juventus, and could overperform in another team. 

The amount Juventus paid for Vlahovic is €80 million. However, Vlahovic’s value decreased, and the paid amount proved to be a huge financial risk for Juventus. Vlahovic’s current value is decreased by €20 million. In other words, he is worth ‘’only’’ €60 million. This also might affect the club’s decision to sell Vlahovic this summer.

We wrote that Atletico Madrid is willing to give one of its players and add some money for Vlahović, so that Juvenuts recovers from financial loss. Would it be this summer, or Juventus would wait until the end of the contract in 2026, we’ll find out soon..

To Sell or Not to Sell Vlahovic

Our answer is: Yes. Juventus shall sell Vlahovic. By this, we don’t underestimate Vlahovic. According to the statistics, he underperformed. However, we’re certain that his skills will be better used in another club. There goes a saying that even if you fit somewhere, it doesn’t mean that you belong here. Probably, Vlahovic would be proven a better player in another club.