Arsenal ready to pay €80m fee to sign sought-after striker 'immediately' - Reports

English Premier League club Arsenal has told the agent of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic that they are ready to pay £80 million Euros immediately to sign the striker.

The Gunners are desperately looking to replace their under-performing striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabonese striker is also serving a punishment from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for a disciplinary breach.

Speaking about the wonderful talent that Dusan Vlhaovic is, former England international Micah Richards said:

"He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need."

However, Vlahovic has communicated through his agent that he is not interested in joining the Premier League side as he wishes to stay at the Italian club until next summer.

Vlahovic has performed brilliantly for Fiorentina in the ongoing season and is level with Cristiano Ronaldo's record tally of goals in a calendar year. Vhalovic's goal against Sassuolo last week put him on par with Ronaldo at 33 goals in a calendar year.

It is because of this goal-scoring ability that the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City have shown their interest in signing the 21-year-old. Vlhaovic signed for the Italian club in 2018 after a two-year stint with Partizan. The Serbian international also has 14 national side caps to his name.

Dusan Vlahonic has rejected the offer made by Arsenal despite such a huge bid to focus on finishing the season at the top. Fiorentina are currently seventh in the Serie A table, trailing the number four position by just seven points.

The Serbian has rejected the offer of extending his contract as well, hinting that he is willing to make a move to a bigger club but not until the end of the season. European clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, Manchester City and Arsenal have shown open interest in signing the player.

Fiorentina is unlikely to agree to a deal with Juventus for the player, which will boost the chances of other clubs interested in securing the player's signature.

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Arsenal manager insists players must be listened to as COVID cases rise in the UK

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that players must be listened to if they want to play despite the rising COVID cases. Several matches have recently been called off by the Premier League after several players tested positive for the virus.

Speaking to the press ahead of the Boxing Day match against Norwich, Arteta said:

"We have to listen to them [the players]. There are two protagonists in all of this: one are the players, and the other, the supporters. Without players, we can do nothing. So we have to really listen to the players because they're the ones that have to be there [on the pitch].''