Fiorentina director Joe Barone has confirmed the club been in contact with an unnamed Premier League outfit over the possibility of signing striker Dusan Vlahovic, with the Serie A side willing to sell.
Arsenal have long held an interest in the 21-year-old striker and been touted with a move for the Serbia international for the entirety of the January transfer window.
However, it remains unclear whether Arsenal will be able to actually pull the deal off given the huge transfer fee and amount of moving parts in a move that Vlahovic himself is not thought to be particularly keen on.
Recent reports have emerged suggesting Vlahovic is willing to snub interest from north London in favour of a club that are in a better position to win silverware sooner than Arsenal may be able to.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Where will Dusan Vlahovic play his football next season? Comment below
Mikel Arteta's men saw their last realistic hopes of lifting a trophy this term dashed on Thursday night when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Barone confirmed to the media that Fiorentina have held talks with an English club but are currently not in constant communication with their own player.
"Some English clubs have made contact with Fiorentina but there is no agreement and there can't be if someone [Vlahovic] doesn't talk," the club's director declared to Florence-based newspaper La Nacion.
"In any case, we are open to selling, the English clubs want Vlahovic but evidently he's got other ideas - we are ready to negotiate but him and his agent won't talk.
"There has been no communication from the player and his agent, although I asked them to be clear about their wishes."
The Gunners interest in Vlahovic has long been met with speculation claiming the striker is not interested in joining a side where not playing Champions League football is a realistic possibility.
Arsenal are be willing to break the bank on Vlahovic when it comes to the striker's wages, with the north London outfit proposing a five-year contract that would see the 21-year-old pocket £8.3m a season on top of a huge signing on-fee.
The Gunners are not the only club interested in Vlahovic's signature, with fellow Serie A giants Juventus reportedly interested in hijacking Arsenal's pursuit with a bid of their own.
La Gazzetta dello Sport claim that the Turin-based titans have put together an offer this month that is worth around €70m.
Half of that fee comes in the form of winger Dejan Kulusevski, who the club value at €35m.
Gunners manager Arteta has already spoken out on the persistent Vlahovic transfer rumours without naming the player directly.
"The team are working extremely hard to get the players that we want and we have no news to give you," The Spaniard told the press.
"We have a plan to try to bring players in and try to get the players we want with the right qualities and improve the squad in the best possible way every single window."
