Tuttosport: Vlahovic's Juventus exit finalized amid anger over repeated boundary-pushing

According to Tuttosport, Vlahovic has definitively parted ways with Juventus, and the team’s reaction to this has been mixed.

On the Juventus side, after Vlahovic's complete break with the club, few people at the Continassa training ground truly shed tears over it. He is an important player, but also a somewhat "heavy" presence. To understand the importance and central role of the Serbian striker, one only needs to look at his performances during his final month at Juventus: when the team's physical condition was at its lowest, Vlahovic scored four goals in four matches. At the time, he had only just returned from a long-term injury and was still carrying some minor aches and pains. His teammates always recognized his technical ability: when he was in form, Vlahovic knew how to be the protagonist of the match.

Unlike some other players, Vlahovic often showed the necessary character in the most difficult moments. The Serbian player was a very divisive figure. At times, he appeared flamboyant, even going slightly overboard, because he did not unite the dressing room. Especially in recent months, some news about the progress of contract renewal negotiations would directly reach the team.

Vlahovic's remarks about Jonathan David were not well received within the team, and his desire to remain the highest-paid player in the squad also caused discomfort, especially as he even wanted to earn more than Kenan Yildiz. After Locatelli recently completed his contract extension with a pay raise, Vlahovic further increased his demands. However, his plan did not succeed. Had he actually achieved his goal, it would not have been easy for Juventus to put the pieces back together.

When news of Vlahovic's failure to renew his contract with Juventus became public, the silence of all the players on social media was highly symbolic. Of course, this may only be temporary, as Vlahovic formally remains a Juventus player until June 30. In any case, whether it is the club, the coach, or his teammates, everyone appears to have given up. Vlahovic is regarded as a technically very useful pivot, but not as indispensable as he has often seemed.

In recent months, Vlahovic repeatedly conveyed the same message to several teammates: he wanted to stay at Juventus, even if it meant significantly lowering his financial demands. His actions on the field made that signal very clear: even when injured, Vlahovic never detached himself from the team. He fought with all his strength to recover from his injury, initially hoping to make the Inter vs. Juventus match on February 14, but ultimately returned a month later. Although there was no coveted World Cup call-up awaiting him, he still chose to take the risk. It was precisely for this reason that Spalletti urged the club to reopen dialogue with Vlahovic's team: from the standpoint of professionalism, his attitude on the field has always been impeccable.

However, the dressing room was not very receptive to some of Vlahovic's overly exaggerated actions or his overly assertive leadership gestures. While some in the team liked him, a considerable number of players had long been looking forward to his departure from Turin. Of course, his unusually high salary attracted envy and dissatisfaction, but this certainly cannot be considered his fault. Vlahovic was also disappointed with the captain's armband arrangement. He had hoped to be considered, and not merely on the basis of seniority. As a result, Juventus chose to place Locatelli, Bremer, and Yildiz successively ahead of him, which was clearly not a decision Vlahovic was happy with.

Vlahovic will not deliver a public farewell speech to everyone. He will certainly post on social media to bid farewell to fans and former teammates. As for Juventus fans, their views are clearly divided. All of this stems from the huge valuation in January 2022: the high transfer fee and astonishing salary endlessly magnified expectations for Vlahovic. As a capable striker, he paid a considerable price for this, but he was not strong enough for Juventus to offer him a new contract with a net salary of approximately 8 million euros per year, plus high commissions and a generous signing bonus. Those who support Vlahovic will point to his goals. His goal tally is certainly not overwhelming, but it represents a significant contribution compared to David and Openda. Vlahovic believes that he will find a better environment after leaving Juventus, unlike Dybala and Rabiot. Time will prove his true value.