Premier League clubs are looking for striker help, as usual, but could two big January moves happen in the otherwise often-quiet window.
Fiorentina phenom Dusan Vlahovic and Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne could wind up in the Premier League this winter due to big contract demands for the former and an expiring deal for the latter.
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Tottenham is being linked to both players, while Manchester United and Arsenal are said to be eyeing Vlahovic.
That said, Vlahovic is likely interesting anyone with a pulse given his age and the ability of PL teams to offer the wages the Serbian would like to see added to his account each week.
Let’s dig into these two ideas.
Lorenzo Insigne to Tottenham
Antonio Conte could get major support (or a replacement) for Harry Kane on the cheap.
A report out of Italy claims that Tottenham is looking into landing Lorenzo Insigne, as Napoli may be tempted to take money in January for its captain.
Insigne, 30, is out of contract in January and the report says that contract talks have not gone well.
He has five goals and six assists in 18 appearances this season, missing five matches due to injury.
The 53-times capped Italian star has 10 goals for his country and has appeared 415 times for Napoli. Insigne was born about a dozen miles north of Naples.
The left wing can also operate centrally and in the midfield on occasion. He is a threat to hit double-digit goals and assists in any campaign, and would be a big score at a lower price even at his age.
Dusan Vlahovic to Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United
It’s not often a young player with Dusan Vlahovic’s scoring record could leave a club in January, but the prolific Fiorentina striker is looking for the big dollars (or pounds or euros).
It likely may be pounds, as Vlahovic is said to have rejected the richest contract in Fiorentina history, alerting Tottenham, Arsenal, and Manchester United amongst others.
Vlahovic, 21, is averaging nearly a goal per game in Serie A this season, and current Fiorentina GM Joe Barone -- an American and former New York Cosmos executive -- said it’s out of their hands.
“We’ve offered Vlahovic the highest contract ever in the history of Fiorentina, several times,” Joe Barone told Repubblica. “Both Dusan and his agent made us realize that they do not want to accept. Our bid is still on the table.”
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang clearly out of favor at Arsenal, Harry Kane potentially still ready to leave Spurs, and Cristiano Ronaldo fit but 36 years old, it would not be insane to see Vlahovic bring in big January money.
And Fiorentina’s status outside of European competition means he could aid in a UCL or UEL push. This one could have legs.
