Dusan Vlahovic remains without a club despite being the most valuable free agent.

Dusan Vlahovic, one of the most valuable players available on the market, remains without a club as the start of the new season approaches. The Serbian forward, who recently completed a four-and-a-half-year stint with Juventus, finds himself in a paradoxical situation given his potential and the experience he has accumulated in Serie A, where he has played a total of eight seasons, including a three-and-a-half-year spell at Fiorentina.

At 26 years old, Vlahovic is regarded as a high-quality player, having averaged over ten goals per season in the last six years. However, despite his impressive resume, the player's immediate future is uncertain. According to Transfermarkt, Vlahovic is currently the most valuable free agent, valued at around 30 million euros, but concrete offers appear to be scarce. While there has been talk of interest from Manchester United and a potential transfer to Barcelona, there are no agreements or medical examinations in sight.

The player stands out for his presence on the field, being capable of scoring goals with both feet and his head, in addition to having a good free-kick shot. However, his ability to connect with the team and his consistency have been pointed out as areas for improvement. Despite this, his trajectory in football seemed promising when, while still at Fiorentina, he attracted the attention of top clubs, with Juventus investing up to 80 million euros in his signing when he was just 22 years old.

In recent years, Vlahovic has not been able to meet the expectations created. His best tally at Juventus was 18 goals in the 2023-24 season, while in the last season he managed only 10. This performance does not align with the investment Juventus made, which expected the player to become a consistent scorer, capable of reaching the mark of 20 goals per season.

One of the main obstacles to his transfer could be his high salary. In the last season, Vlahovic was the highest-paid player at Juventus and had the largest salary in Serie A, which raises doubts among clubs considering his acquisition, especially given that 22 players with lower salaries managed to score more goals than he did. This situation creates a certain apprehension among top clubs, and even Juventus could have retained the player had he not demanded a salary of around 8 million euros per year, according to Giorgio Chiellini, a former teammate at Juventus.

With transfers progressing and the window closing, Vlahovic may find himself in a complicated position. Reports indicate that he would be willing to lower his salary demands, but only for a club he deems suitable. It’s a dilemma, as he might accept a lower salary at a team like Barcelona compared to a club like Besiktas. However, the hesitation of teams to commit could result in the continuation of his state of uncertainty.

As the transfer window approaches its end, Vlahovic's situation remains a cause for concern, and it seems he will begin the new season without a club, which would be a significant loss for football.