Vlahovic addresses "sensationally wrong" decision to turn down Arsenal claim

Dusan Vlahovic says Juventus were the only club on his mind before his £66million January transfer - despite the claim he made a "sensationally wrong" decision turning down Arsenal.

Vlahovic was at the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist during the winter period with the Spaniard viewing the then-Fiorentina forward to be the perfect replacement for the out-going Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

But the Serbian 22-year-old snubbed the Gunners for Juventus, putting pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Old Lady. In the immediate aftermath of the transfer, Antonio Cassano claimed the striker had made a mistake in staying in Serie A, but Vlahovic has now spoken out to insist leaving Italy for Arsenal was never a thought in his mind.

"Maybe my agent knows [about Arsenal's offer] but I never talked to anyone about it," Vlahovic told The Telegraph.

"I just had one club in my mind because Juventus is Juventus. There is nothing else to say. And now I feel honoured to be given this jersey. It's incredible every time I put it on.

"I definitely identify with their DNA. The Juventus personality coincides with my personality. When you come here you never give up, you fight all the time, you make the sacrifices. This was definitely what I was looking for."

Former Roma, Real Madrid and AC Milan forward Cassano was quite adamant that Vlahovic was making a mistake.

He told Bobo TV: "In my opinion [Vlahovic's decision] is sensationally wrong. For the type of player, I think he is he needed to make an intermediate step to a team like Arsenal, Tottenham, or Sevilla, who signed [Anthony] Martial. For me, you know, he has always been a second-tier player.

"This is a huge step for him, playing with Fiorentina is another thing. For him, it is a very important step, but above all it's risky. For Juve, it is not enough to do what you did at Fiorentina.

"It's not enough to score 15 goals, 20 goals. At Juve, every match must be decisive. It's a dangerous weight on him. He had to take the next step, but not two steps, at Juve you have to score at least 30 goals per season and you have to take home the performances and titles.

"I don't see him as a player for Juve. He is a Serbian, a particular character, I don't see him fitting in well with Juve's dressing room, that's the opinion I have."

Vlahovic scored on his debut for Juve before notching a further eight times in a total of 22 appearances. Combined with his goals for Fiorentina and Serbia last season, the striker bagged 34 in 53 matches in all competitions.