Giuntoli doesn’t mince words, but Vlahovic knows better: two games won’t be enough to change the judgment. Can it be continued? Yes, but on one condition
“Decideremo insieme”: cosa nasconde il messaggio di Giuntoli all’agente di Vlahovic (Foto: LaPresse) – serieanews.com
Dusan Vlahovic against Lazio played only one half. The reason is obvious: he is still not at his best. After the injury that forced him to miss three games, the comeback has been gradual. But it is likely that in the last two – the decisive ones in the Champions race – Vlahovic will be back as a starter, with the minimum goal of reaching double figures in the league. If only to end with a minimum of dignity.
By now it can be said without mincing words: his season has been disappointing. And there is no more room to overturn the judgment. Two games are too few to erase how little has been done so far.
His fault? Some of it, yes. Not all, but not a few either. Because while it is true that Juve did not shine and that he was often ostracized by the old coach, the Serbian put in his own. Or rather, he took away. So many missed goals, so many games in which he seemed turned off. Fans have pointed this out repeatedly, on social media and at the stadium. Nor can the club be satisfied.
In the pre-match of Lazio-Juve, Cristiano Giuntoli was clear. When asked about Vlahovic, he responded with a sentence that may sound diplomatic, but which is actually very clear: “At the end of the season we will sit down with his agent and evaluate what to do. We will decide together if it is appropriate to continue or if we should take other paths.”
There, that “we will decide together” says it all. It’s a soft formula to introduce a fork in the road that’s already pretty well mapped out. Vlahovic’s contract expires in 2026, but the projected salary for next season-about 12 million-is no longer sustainable for this Juventus team. At these figures, you’re either a draftee or you’re a problem. And Vlahovic, so far, has been more of a problem than an asset.
Vlahovic resta alla Juve? Sì, con un rinnovo al ribasso…
The message for him and his entourage is this: either a renewal with a spread is reasoned out, or we need to start preparing for the separation. It is not easy for Juve to get rid of such a highly paid player, with such a hefty salary. But a decision must be made, and it must be made soon.
Vlahovic resta alla Juve? Sì, con un rinnovo al ribasso… (AnsaFoto) – serieanews.com
Speculation is what has been going around for weeks. Saudi Arabia is always a possibility-perhaps unromantic, but economically concrete. Or some emerging club with fresh money and fewer demands. For sure, Juve will not stonewall: the minimum goal is to avoid a capital loss. Which means cashing in at least 20 million, even if it is far from the 70 paid to Fiorentina. But the reality is this.
There is also another option on the table, less talked about but still possible: staying until the deadline and then saying goodbye on a zero-parameter basis. It would not be the best for anyone, but if Vlahovic decides to stay and does not want to reduce his salary, it could end up that way. Maybe with one more season, finally as a star player, to see once and for all if this marriage still makes sense.
The ball, this time, is not just Juve’s. Vlahovic has something to prove. Not to the public, not to the critics. To himself.
This article “We will decide together”: what Giuntoli’s message to Vlahovic’s agent hides appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
