Newcastle United are weighing up a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic on a free transfer, but the deal comes with significant risks regarding wages and playing time guarantees, according to the club's latest Q&A.
Vlahovic's Contract Situation
The Serbian international will leave the Italian giants at the end of the month when his contract expires. Vlahovic has scored 68 goals in 168 appearances for Juventus since joining from Fiorentina in 2022. The 26-year-old has been repeatedly linked with the Magpies, and recent reports indicate that Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid have all declined the opportunity to sign him as a free agent.
Alan Shearer Comparison
Speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast, Chronicle Live's head of sport Ross Gregory and NUFC writer Lee Ryder analysed the potential signing. Ryder made a bold comparison: "To be honest, if you look at him as a talent, as a goal scorer, he's almost in the Alan Shearer-mould in terms of what he can do. He's a proper old-fashioned centre-forward. It'd be something different to what Newcastle have got now."
Concerns Over Squad Balance
Ryder also raised questions about the impact on existing strikers: "But then you would ask if they did make a signing like that, what happens to Wissa? What happens to Woltemade? What happens to William Osula? Because if Vlahovic did come in here, then he would pretty much come here with assurances that he'd be number one."
Financial and Tactical Risks
Gregory highlighted several concerns: "I think Dusan Vlahovic as a potential signing on a free is very, very attractive. But when you're taking everything else into consideration, is he an Eddie Howe type of forward? How does he fit into that system? His injury record recently hasn't been particularly great. And then you're throwing in those wages. Now, obviously, he's not going to get that as he moves on. There just seems to be too many risks around it for me."
Ryder added that Vlahovic's current wages are believed to be north of £170,000 per week, which would need to be reduced in any new deal. The club must decide whether the potential rewards outweigh the significant risks involved.
