Vlahovic on the brink: Juventus talks hit a wall
A month before his contract runs out, negotiations have stalled over a signing bonus while Bayern, Atletico and Chelsea wait on a free transfer.
- Vlahovic's Juventus contract expires June 30 and extension talks have stalled
- The sticking point is the signing bonus: the player wants about 8 million euros, the club offers around 3
- Juventus has tabled a two-year deal worth 6.5 million euros plus bonuses
- Bayern, Atletico and Chelsea are circling a free transfer, with Bayern preparing direct talks
In Turin they are used to every negotiation with the top earner dragging to the final day, but this one feels different. Dusan Vlahovic and Juventus have been at the same table for weeks now, and the chair by the exit keeps getting closer. A month before his contract lapses, the talks have snagged on a single figure.
The Serbian striker’s deal expires on June 30, meaning that from that date he is free to sign anywhere with no fee involved. The club wants to keep him, the player has not shut the door, but the numbers do not line up. And when numbers fail to line up a month from the end, time starts working against the house.
Where exactly did the deal break down?
The stumbling block is the signing bonus. Vlahovic’s camp is asking for roughly 8 million euros to put pen to paper, while Juventus is offering around 3 million. A five million gap looks like a footnote in the world of big transfers, yet the whole agreement is balanced on it.
The club has put a two-year contract worth 6.5 million euros plus bonuses on the table. The player wants a salary of 8 million alongside another 6 million in bonuses, broadly in line with teammate Kenan Yildiz, who has quietly become the reference point in the dressing room. Two readings of the same value, two very different totals.
“It remains unclear where Dusan Vlahovic will play in the 2026/27 season.”
That single line says everything about the current standoff. A player who until recently was the highest paid in Serie A is now the headline name on the free transfer market rather than a guaranteed stay.
Who is waiting at the other end?
A free transfer of this calibre rarely slips under the radar, so several serious clubs are already hovering around Vlahovic. Interest has come from:
- Bayern, who are reportedly preparing direct talks with the player
- Atletico Madrid, hunting for a striker of European pedigree
- Chelsea, who are tracking the situation in Turin
Bayern are the most aggressive here. Direct contact with the player, without waiting on the club, is the classic move of a side that smells a free opportunity. If Juventus do not budge on their offer, the Germans have the room to sit down first.
For now nothing has snapped, but nothing has shifted either. Juventus hold their figure, the player holds his, and the calendar ticks toward June 30. My read? If the signing bonus is not sorted by mid June, Vlahovic walks into the 2026/27 season in someone else’s shirt.
Do you believe Vlahovic stays in Turin, or is it time for a new address?
