Former Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic has broken his silence on a turbulent final months in Turin, attributing his early-season benchings directly to his contract status rather than tactical decisions or unreasonable financial demands, according to an interview with Mozzart Sport.
The 26-year-old Serbian forward, who departed Juventus as a free agent this past summer to sign with Turkish club Beşiktaş, opened up about the intense media scrutiny and internal pressure he faced during his final campaign in Serie A. Vlahovic, who has started his tenure in Istanbul with three goals across four appearances in all competitions, rejected widespread reports that his prolonged stay at the Allianz Stadium stalled due to excessive personal demands.
Contract Dynamics and Early-Season Benchings at Juventus
According to Vlahovic’s statements to Mozzart Sport, his demotion to the substitutes’ bench at the start of the season was tied exclusively to the timeline of his expiring agreement rather than his on-field performance. “I started on the bench for a well-known reason: I was entering the final year of my contract. In my opinion, that was the only reason,” Vlahovic explained.
During his three years with the Bianconeri, external reports frequently suggested that protracted renewal negotiations stalled because the player’s camp demanded various performance clauses, special bonuses, or a salary increase that management deemed untenable. Vlahovic pushed back firmly against those narratives, characterizing a substantial portion of the media coverage as completely unfounded. “It was written that I was setting different conditions for a new contract with Juventus, but a large part of all that was false,” Vlahovic stated. “For three years, despite everything that was written about my prolongation, I had no concrete discussions with the management until the end of the season. There was a lot of pressure on me and it bothered me, because I know what the truth is and what happened.”
Turning the Page with Beşiktaş
The resolution of his protracted contractual standoff cleared the path for Vlahovic to exit the Italian giants on a free transfer during the summer window.
The fresh start provides a stark contrast to the final months in Turin, where speculation over his future dominated club press conferences and sports headlines alike.
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