The future of Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic at Juventus has become the main topic in Italian media. The details of the negotiations surrounding his new contract suggest it is the most complicated deal of the year. As Vlahovic continues to dazzle on the field, the club's management is grappling with a financial equation that must satisfy both parties, but so far, everything is on hold.

According to reports, head coach Luciano Spalletti has full trust in the Serbian and wants to keep him at all costs, but the issue, as always, is money. Vlahovic is currently the highest-paid player in Serie A with an astounding net salary of 12 million euros for the season (over 22 million gross). Juventus, burdened by losses and in urgent need of money from the Champions League, aims to drastically reduce these costs.

The club's plan is to put Vlahovic on the same level as the rising star Kenan Jeldz, who recently signed a contract until 2030 for six million euros per season (with bonuses up to seven million). Juventus is offering a fixed salary of six million to Vlahovic, while he and his entourage are not willing to go below the eight million euro mark, which is the average of his current contract.

Many in Turin see parallels with the situation four years ago when the club lost Paulo Dybala. At that time, the Argentine was asking for too much, and Juventus decided to invest all its money (80 million euros in commitments and a huge salary) in the acquisition of Vlahovic from Fiorentina. Now, Vlahovic could become the one who "pulls the fat end" due to the new club's salary hierarchy.

A potential compromise is a so-called "bridge" contract, extending the cooperation for only two years, which would allow Juventus to navigate financial issues more easily and maintain Vlahovic's market value. Additionally, such a contract would reduce the astronomical agent fees, which were 11.6 million euros when Vlahovic joined.

Though negotiations are tough and slow, one thing is clear: Vlahovic has promised to remain fully committed to the team until the end of the season, and there are no signs that he is secretly negotiating with other clubs, either in Italy or abroad. However, until Champions League qualification is confirmed, the fate of the best Serbian striker remains uncertain.

(Telegraf.rs)