The silence has broken. Juventus and Dušan Vlahović have moved beyond the stage of sending signals through intermediaries and press conferences. According to Tuttosport’s Paolo Pirisi, the two parties are now in direct conversation — with the mutual aim of finding the best possible conclusion to a pursuit that has been one of the summer’s most persistent and complicated storylines.
It is not yet a negotiation in the formal sense. It is, as Tuttosport describes it, a chase — both sides thinking aloud, establishing their positions before any formal meeting is scheduled.
The Numbers: Clear Positions, Significant Gap
Juventus’s offer is defined and final in its structure. A two-year contract at approximately €6.5 million net per season, with a signing commission of €4-5 million payable at the point of signature.
Vlahović’s demands sit in a different territory entirely. On wages, he wants €7 million per year — the same figure Kenan Yıldız earns following his recent renewal. On the commission, his camp is pushing for €8-9 million at signing — double what Juventus have put on the table. The combined gap between the two positions, across wages and commission on a two-year deal, amounts to approximately €6 million. It is significant. It is not, however, insurmountable — and crucially, neither side has walked away.
Spalletti’s Conference Press Conference Was the Catalyst
The movement in the negotiation — however modest as yet — was triggered by Spalletti’s remarks at the Basilea pre-season press conference, in which he publicly acknowledged that Vlahović “knows how I see things” and that the club’s directors “always have their doors open — though to enter, you have to ring the bell.” The invitation was clear. And according to Tuttosport, within days of those words, something began to shift.
Why Vlahović Is the Most Financially Logical Option
The irony of Vlahović’s position in this market is stark. He is simultaneously the player Carnevali and Massara are finding most difficult to conclude a deal with — because of his commission demands — and the most cost-effective option available. Compared to the fees and wages associated with Kolo Muani, Mateta, Sorloth, and even Mateo Pellegrino, a contract with the Serbian striker represents by far the best quality-to-price ratio. His goalscoring record at Juventus — 88 goals in 198 appearances — speaks for itself, and his age of 26 gives the club several peak years of return on any investment.
What Carnevali and Massara are waiting for is a meaningful concession on the commission — a “maxi discount” in Tuttosport’s words — that would allow the deal to be structured within the squad’s financial framework. Without that concession, the gap remains too large.
Besiktas Applies Pressure — and Barcelona Steps Back
The external dynamics are also shifting in Juventus’s favour. Barcelona, mentioned throughout the summer as a potential destination, are increasingly focused on securing Julián Álvarez and have all but stepped back from any concrete Vlahović pursuit. The alternative most likely to actually materialise is Besiktas — where Vincenzo Italiano is waiting, the financial offer is generous, and the city is willing. But Vlahović has been explicit about his reluctance to leave top-level European football at 26 for the Turkish Super Lig. Istanbul is his fallback, not his ambition.
That reality — a player who wants to stay in elite football but has no elite club actively pursuing him — places Juventus in a position of quiet but real leverage. Carnevali knows it. Vlahović knows it. The conversation continues — and the next few days may yet produce the compromise that makes DV9-bis a reality.
