Iconic Arrival at Villa Park: Dušan Vlahović Accepts Historic Deal with Aston Villa in Sensational Transfer Coup
By Daniel M. Granger | June 5, 2025 | Birmingham, England
In what is being described as one of the most iconic and ambitious moves in Aston Villa’s rich 151-year history, Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović has officially accepted a historic deal to join Aston Villa, marking a bold new chapter in the club’s ascent under manager Unai Emery and sporting director Monchi.
The agreement, which has sent shockwaves across the footballing world, sees the 25-year-old goal machine make a blockbuster €72 million switch from Juventus to Villa Park, setting a club-record fee and one of the highest ever salaries in Aston Villa’s wage structure. The deal was finalized after weeks of intensive negotiations and has been hailed as a landmark moment not only for the club but also for English football.
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🚨 “This Is the New Villa” – A Statement of Intent
For a club steeped in tradition but starved of global superstardom in recent decades, the capture of Dušan Vlahović is a declaration of intent. With Champions League football secured for the 2025–26 season following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, Unai Emery and Monchi are wasting no time reinforcing a side already praised for its discipline, organization, and ambition.
> “We are not here to participate. We are here to win, and this move proves that,” Emery declared during the press conference unveiling Vlahović. “Dušan is not just a striker; he is a force of nature. His commitment to this project confirms that Aston Villa is now a true European contender.”
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💰 The Deal: Record-Breaking Terms
The contract signed by Vlahović will run until June 2030, including a base annual salary of £11 million (€12.9m), with performance-based bonuses that could see the Serbian earn over £15 million per season. His deal includes a Champions League qualification clause, goal bonuses, and a percentage of image rights – a package rarely seen outside the top three clubs in England.
The transfer fee, estimated at €72 million plus add-ons, smashes Villa’s previous transfer record and makes Vlahović the most expensive player ever signed by the club, overtaking the likes of Emiliano Buendía and Moussa Diaby.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Monchi personally flew to Turin in late May to convince both Juventus and the player’s entourage of the seriousness and magnitude of Villa’s offer. He was joined by Emery, who shared detailed tactical plans that would place Vlahović at the center of Villa’s European push.
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🔥 Why Vlahović Chose Villa
Dušan Vlahović, who had been linked to clubs like Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and AC Milan, shocked the football world by opting for Aston Villa—a club that, only a few years ago, was battling relegation.
> “This is not a step down. This is a rocket launch,” Vlahović said in his first statement as a Villa player. “When I met with Unai and Monchi, they didn’t just speak about tactics—they spoke about legacy. I want to be part of that. I want to lead the line for a club on the rise and help write its next glorious chapter.”
The Serbian international, who scored 19 goals in Serie A last season, brings a blend of power, technique, and predatory instincts that Villa had lacked up front despite Ollie Watkins’ admirable contributions.
Vlahović will wear the iconic No. 9 shirt, a number previously worn by legends like Peter Withe and Dean Saunders.
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⚽ Tactical Fit: The Emery Blueprint
Unai Emery, known for his meticulous approach, plans to deploy Vlahović as the focal point of a revamped 4-2-3-1 system, with Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, and John McGinn providing service from midfield. Rumors also suggest that Villa are closing in on Alex Baena and Nico Williams, which would further supercharge the attacking unit.
With his physicality, hold-up play, and clinical finishing, Vlahović is expected to thrive in the Premier League. Emery emphasized how Vlahović would “complete the spine” of a team that now boasts World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez, defensive general Pau Torres, midfield enforcer Boubacar Kamara, and the relentless engine of Douglas Luiz.
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🦁 A New Era at Villa Park
The buzz around Villa Park is palpable. Fans gathered outside Bodymoor Heath training complex and the club shop on New Street in Birmingham to welcome the striker, who landed in the West Midlands to roaring chants of “Vlahović! Vlahović!” as he posed in the claret and blue for the first time.
Season ticket renewals spiked by 31% within hours of the announcement, and the club’s social media accounts saw a 400,000-follower increase across Instagram and Twitter/X. Villa’s online store sold out of Vlahović kits in under six hours.
> “This is the moment we’ve waited for,” said supporter Liam Ashcroft, a lifelong Villa fan. “For the first time in a long while, the rest of Europe is looking at us and saying: ‘Aston Villa mean business.’”
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🇷🇸 A Serbian Star in Birmingham
Born in Belgrade in 2000, Vlahović rose through the ranks at Partizan before moving to Fiorentina in 2018. His meteoric rise in Serie A caught the attention of Juventus, who signed him for €81.6 million in 2022. At Juve, he scored 51 goals in 115 appearances but grew frustrated with inconsistent playing time and a lack of Champions League success.
At international level, Vlahović has 27 goals in 50 caps for Serbia and is considered the natural successor to Aleksandar Mitrović as the nation’s go-to striker.
He becomes the first Serbian player to sign for Aston Villa since Savo Milošević, who played for the club between 1995 and 1998.
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🏆 The Road Ahead: What’s Next?
Aston Villa will now look to build around Vlahović. Rumors persist that Jonathan David, Alex Baena, and Loïc Badé could also join, while departures such as Jhon Durán, Bertrand Traoré, and possibly Emiliano Martínez could fund further reinforcements.
Villa’s first pre-season match will be against Ajax in Amsterdam, followed by a U.S. tour in July where Vlahović will make his debut against LAFC.
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🗣️ Final Word
From the depths of the Championship in 2018 to signing a world-class striker in 2025, Aston Villa’s journey has come full circle. Dušan Vlahović’s arrival is not just a marquee signing—it’s a thunderclap that signals a new era of ambition, belief, and continental aspiration.
> “This is the time,” said CEO Christian Purslow in a closing remark. “This is Villa. And with Dušan, the world will watch.”
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Player Profile: Dušan Vlahović
Age: 25
Nationality: Serbian
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Partizan, Fiorentina, Juventus
Transfer Fee: €72 million + add-ons
Contract Until: June 2030
Villa Shirt Number: 9
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Stay tuned for full coverage of Vlahović’s unveiling event at Villa Park and exclusive training footage from Bodymoor Heath.
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