Fiorentina president Rocco Benito Commisso has responded defiantly to rumours linking Arsenal and Juventus with Dusan Vlahovic.

Arsenal have been linked with a move for Dusan Vlahovic as the Fiorentina striker’s contract runs down, but Fiorentina president Commisso says anyone who wants the player has to deal directly with his club.

“I don’t know if Juventus are able to sign Vlahovic in January,” Commisso said.

“But I want to say to Juventus or Arsenal that we [Fiorentina] are the ‘owners’ of Vlahovic. They should open talks with us – not with his agents.”

The Athletic report that they understand Vlahovic may prefer to remain in Italy.

This follows Goal reporter Charles Watts writing that there have been no negotiations, and Vlahovic isn’t even a target for Arsenal. The club are seemingly looking for a striker ahead of next year, but not Vlahovic.

James Benge reports the same, tweeting that Arsenal are not actively targeting Vlahovic, and there are no negotiations currently ongoing with Fiorentina.

It was Di Marzio that claimed Arsenal had met with Fiorentina to talk about Vlahovic, informing them they were willing to pay the Serie A club’s asking price of €80m including bonuses.

But Fabrizio Romano denied this, reporting that Arsenal weren’t in talks with Fiorentina.

Unlike the English journalists, Romano added that Arsenal were one of many clubs following Vlahovic’s situation, but there was nothing advanced.

Fiorentina want to settle Vlahovic’s situation quickly, so they can cash in and find a replacement. They know his contract expires in 2023 and he doesn’t plan to extend, so the sooner the better.

The Athletic suggest the Serie A club are hoping for a European-wide bidding war, so perhaps that’s why Arsenal’s name is being thrown into the mix.