ARSENAL SOUND ALARM: £67M STRIKER DREAM CRUMBLES AS CLUB FEARS ANOTHER INJURY NIGHTMARE

It was supposed to be the summer where everything changes. A fresh page. A long-awaited rebirth in attack. After years of searching, failing, hoping, and compromising, Arsenal were finally ready to go all out for a proper No. 9. A striker who could wear the red and white jersey with pride and terrorise Premier League defenders with ruthless finishing and physical strength. A striker who could bring back the glory days and fire the Gunners to titles again.

And at the top of the wish list? None other than Dusan Vlahovic—the Serbian machine, the ruthless finisher, the £67 million man who once turned his back on Arsenal but was suddenly being linked again. But just when fans were starting to dream again, just when it seemed like Arsenal were preparing to bring the powerful Juventus striker to the Emirates, a cold wave of reality has struck. And it’s not pretty. Because behind the scenes, away from the headlines and transfer whispers, Arsenal are worried. Deeply worried. And now, those fears have exploded into the open

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking on talkSPORT, Arsenal’s decision-makers have real doubts about Vlahovic. These aren’t small, manageable concerns. These are major red flags about the striker’s body—specifically, a chronic groin injury that just refuses to go away.

“There’s been concerns from a number of Premier League clubs about Vlahovic,” Jacobs revealed. “Arsenal, in particular, and Chelsea as well, never really moved forward with serious interest, because of a chronic groin injury. The Premier League is fast and physical, and clubs want to know if a player will stay fit here.”

Vlahovic is talented, no doubt. He’s got the physical frame, the striker’s instincts, the aggression and desire to dominate in the final third. But none of that matters if he can’t stay on the pitch. Arsenal know this better than anyone. They’ve seen their last few seasons fall apart, not because they lacked skill or tactics—but because of injury after injury. Thomas Partey. Gabriel Jesus. Takehiro Tomiyasu. Jurrien Timber. The injury list last season alone read like a hospital record

Ironically, Vlahovic was never supposed to be in this situation. In 2022, Arsenal had him right where they wanted. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had just been stripped of the captaincy and frozen out. The club was desperate for a new leader in attack. All roads pointed to Florence, where Dusan Vlahovic was destroying Serie A with Fiorentina. He looked like the perfect solution. The Gunners made their move. Edu worked tirelessly. Mikel Arteta wanted him badly. Arsenal offered the money. The salary. The platform. The glory.

In a dramatic twist that still stings for many Arsenal fans, the Serbian striker rejected the North London side and chose Juventus instead. It was a £67 million move, and Arsenal were left scrambling. The rejection hurt. Badly. Since then, fans have watched him from afar. Some still dreamt of a future redemption—of Vlahovic finally donning the red shirt he once said no to. Others moved on.

But now that Arsenal have power again, now that they’ve finished another strong Premier League season and are operating like a truly elite club again, that old fire came back. Could they try again? Could they tempt him away from Turin now that things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the striker? Turns out, the club did look into it. But the answer they found was troubling.

Since joining Juventus, Vlahovic’s career hasn’t gone the way anyone expected. He was supposed to be the next great striker of his generation. Instead, he’s become a cautionary tale. A story of a great player betrayed by his own body

For a striker who relies so much on pace, movement, and agility, that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Every sprint is a risk. Every twist or turn could trigger a breakdown.

Juventus have tried to manage it. They’ve done rehab, modified training, limited his minutes. But nothing has truly worked.

And now, clubs like Arsenal are watching carefully. They know the Premier League is not forgiving. If you’re not fully fit, you’re finished. Every week is a war. Every game is 100 miles an hour. And no matter how skilled you are, if your body can’t survive it, you’re just another name on the injury table.

It’s not just Vlahovic’s medical record that scares Arsenal. It’s their own. The Gunners have spent the past two seasons trying to build momentum—only for injuries to key players to ruin their rhythm at the worst moments.

Last season, just as they were flying in the Premier League and Champions League, they lost players like Timber, Jesus, and Partey for long spells. Depth saved them to an extent, but it wasn’t enough. The margins are too fine at the top. Every injury could cost a title.

That’s why this summer’s transfer business is not just about names. It’s about durability. Arteta and Edu don’t want hype. They want availability. They want players who can give 40+ games a season, not 20. And Vlahovic, as talented as he is, does not give them that confidence.

This summer was always going to be different. Arsenal brought in Andrea Berta  one of Europe’s most respected sporting directors, to help transform their transfer operations. His job? Simple: bring in a striker who can take Arsenal to the next level.

The club has targets. Big ones. Benjamin Sesko was one. Viktor Gyokeres is another. Even talk of Ivan Toney and Alexander Isak has popped up. But Vlahovic? He was once a favourite. But now he’s slipping out of the conversation. Not because of talent. But because Arsenal can no longer afford to be romantic. They need cold, hard facts. They need science. They need players who won’t be in the treatment room when the title race is heating up.

Unsurprisingly, the reaction among Arsenal fans has been mixed. Some still believe Vlahovic can be world-class if managed properly. They point to his age, his strength, his hunger. “Take the risk,” one fan tweeted. “If it works, we win the league.” But others are not so forgiving.

“He rejected us once,” another posted. “Now we’re supposed to beg him and deal with injuries? No thanks. We need warriors. Not rehab projects.” It’s clear that Vlahovic’s name still carries weight in North London. But the love story that could have been has now turned into a cautionary tale.

As of now, Arsenal are moving cautiously. They’ve made no official offer for Vlahovic. Their medical staff have raised concerns. And the recruitment team, led by Berta and Edu, are looking at alternatives

The truth is simple: Vlahovic is no longer the dream striker. He might still become a great player somewhere. But at Arsenal, where the standards are rising fast and the pressure is brutal, he is not the answer.

And so, another chapter closes. Another name is scratched off the list. The hunt continues. The Emirates still waits for that one striker who can bring the goals, the power, and most importantly—the fitness to survive a season.