Arsenal want to sign player in January who REJECTED them two years ago: report

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Arsenal are chasing a superstar who turned them down earlier on in Mikel Arteta's vision

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta before a training session on July 11, 2023 in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
(Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal are looking to rekindle interest in a player who rejected them two years ago.

The Gunners have picked up 10 points from 12 in their opening four Premier League fixtures but things have been far from convincing with Mikel Arteta's side yet to find their rhythm. The Arsenal boss still hasn't found a settled XI and is easing in new signings – particularly Kai Havertz into a midfield role.

While Havertz has partly been bought for his height and hold-up play though, the Basque boss may well see his squad as still needing a more physical striker to come into the side – and now, a former target has emerged. 

Kai Havertz of Arsenal celebrates after scoring the team's second goal during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Arsenal and FC Barcelona at SoFi Stadium on July 26, 2023 in Inglewood, California.

Kai Havertz might not be the answer for Arteta up front (Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Now, Football Transfers has claimed that Arsenal will return for Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic in the winter window to bulk up their squad. 

Vlahovic was a big target for the Gunners back in January 2021 to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the side but the forward opted not to move to the Premier League. Instead, he settled in Turin with Juventus. 

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Arsenal have since signed not just Gabriel Jesus as Vlahovic's Plan B but have rewarded Eddie Nketiah with a contract, signed Leandro Trossard and now brought in Havertz, too. With a wealth of options in attack, a move for the 23-year-old seems highly unlikely. 

With Juve still out of European competition though following UEFA rule-breaking and Vlahovic seeking to play in the Champions League, however, an exit could be feasible in the next 12 months – especially if Juventus want the money to rebuild.

Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Serie A match between Juventus and Bologna on 2 October, 2022 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy.

Arsenal apparently want Dusan Vlahovic of Juventus once more (Image credit: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

The north Londoners have just moved Folarin Balogun on, recouping around £30 million for a homegrown striker, with the United States star moving to Monaco.

Vlahovic is valued to be worth around €70m by Transfermarkt. 

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Mikel Arteta has revealed the strange marriage metaphor he's used to motivate Kai Havertz. The Basque boss used another bizarre analogy recently to explain his tactics against Manchester City.

And the Gunners boss has had to defend Havertz already this season, notably after the 2-2 draw against Fulham. Meanwhile, Brentford striker Ivan Toney has revealed he would be interested in a move to Arsenal in future.

Mark White
Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.