Has Dusan Vlahovic lastly discovered his toes at Juventus?

When Dusan Vlahovic scored his second purpose in opposition to Frosinone final weekend, creating house within the field by wrong-footing his marker earlier than producing an beautiful end to stage the sport at 2-2, the official Juventus social media deal with exclaimed: “Dusan!! He simply can’t cease scoring can he?!” It was a sentiment the Bianconeri followers ardently agreed with.

This marked a change — in each the tone and temper in Turin — from a lot of 2022 and 2023, when Vlahovic’s popularity as certainly one of Europe’s hottest skills was quick eroding. Juventus had acquired the Serbian hitman’s providers throughout the January switch window in 2022, beating severe competitors from Arsenal and forking out €80 million. 

Worth-tag strain

However Vlahovic struggled to breed the type of type that noticed him rating 38 targets in 58 video games throughout one and a half seasons earlier than Juventus signed him. There was a rising feeling on the Turin-based membership that the output was not dwelling as much as the value tag. By the 2023 summer season window, the Italian powerhouse was courting rich golf equipment, hoping to recoup its funding.

Juventus even reportedly supplied him to cash-splashing Chelsea within the hope of securing Romelu Lukaku. However with no membership keen to half with the type of cash Juventus wished, Vlahovic stayed put. And now many Juventus followers are thanking their fortunate stars. 

The brace in opposition to Frosinone took Vlahovic’s Serie A tally this season to fifteen, second solely to Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez. Much more impressively, they made Vlahovic the main scorer in Europe’s high 5 leagues in 2024, his 9 targets in seven Serie A video games having no equal.

Along with deciding matches — he additionally assisted Daniele Rugani’s stoppage-time winner in opposition to Frosinone — Vlahovic is wanting like a frontrunner at The Outdated Woman. He has scored 37% of Juventus’ targets this season; nobody amongst Serie A’s high 10 scorers has a better proportion. 

Vlahovic can be setting the tone for the supporters of a membership struggling to maintain tempo in a title race. Juventus is second within the Serie A standings however trails Inter by a big margin. The Serbia worldwide celebrated his first purpose in opposition to Frosinone by inserting his hand beneath his chin, as if to say the Bianconeri should maintain their heads excessive and soldier on. 

What has modified for Vlahovic? “I actually don’t know what occurred. I feel all of the exhausting work I did lastly paid off,” he stated. “I’m bodily effectively, it’s easy. I work as regular, I deal with my physique. I sleep effectively, I eat effectively and I practice effectively, the distinction with the previous season is that I’m fantastic and I don’t have issues.  Nonetheless, I’m not comfortable … the group outcomes matter greater than my targets. We now have not been as much as our regular requirements.”

Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli believes Vlahovic’s want to show himself and the belief he has begun to really feel in Turin have contributed to the turnaround. “He has extra vanity and is satisfied about his function inside Juventus,” Prandelli advised Tuttosport. “In opposition to Frosinone, he actually dragged Juventus. He can develop into a frontrunner and the reference level for persona, method and targets. He has a fireplace inside and actually cares in regards to the consideration he feels from his teammates and the surroundings. If he feels belief, he provides his finest.”

Greatest on this planet?

And Vlahovic’s finest is really elite. Former Juventus striker Darko Kovacevic thinks his compatriot “can develop into top-of-the-line on this planet”. “Dusan is — and has at all times been — an incredible striker, he simply wanted to seek out his finest type,” Kovacevic advised Gazzetta dello Sport. “His expertise has by no means been in query. We’re speaking a few younger however full centre ahead. He has been going by means of a spectacular state of type since January and I hope that that is solely the beginning. I stay satisfied that Dusan can develop into top-of-the-line on this planet… similar to [Erling] Haaland.”

Vlahovic is an distinctive ball-striker — with a jackhammer of a left foot that may get the ball to curve and dip, he’s a purpose menace at free-kicks. His left foot additionally makes him harmful from vary in addition to from contained in the field, the place he typically finds house to obtain progressive passes. 

In contrast to many different left-footers, the 24-year-old isn’t one-footed. He’s a more-than-competent finisher off his proper when defenders shepherd him onto his ‘weaker’ foot — he’s able to each hanging throughout his physique and opening up his hips and side-footing the ball.

The three-1 win over Lazio earlier this season showcased the number of ending Vlahovic possesses. He opened the scoring by sweeping residence a cross with a technically supreme first-time end. He later restored the two-goal cushion when he chested down a protracted ball, opened up house in entrance of two defenders with a contact and fired residence from the sting of the field.

At 6’3”, Vlahovic has sufficient of an aerial presence. He can outjump most defenders and rating off towering headers. He’s additionally courageous sufficient to aim diving headers, his poacher’s intuition typically getting him to balls different strikers could have given up chasing. 

At Juventus, Vlahovic doesn’t at all times get to indicate off his all-round recreation. He doesn’t take part within the build-up as typically as Lautaro does at Inter, as an example, however the Serb has the talent and contact to roll his defenders beneath contact. This makes him bouncing board for passes to launch runners from deep, a aspect of his recreation that makes him a really perfect choice for each one-striker setups and the two-striker system he nearly at all times performs in at Juventus.

What the longer term holds

However for all of Vlahovic’s plain qualities, he will likely be judged on the numbers he places up and their affect on Juventus’ pursuit of titles. The query each participant and membership will need the reply to is whether or not this run of goal-scoring type is constantly replicable or a one-off — this will even have a bearing on their future collectively. 

With Vlahovic’s contract set to run till June 2026, this summer season may show pivotal. A 25-goal season will entice curiosity from high golf equipment, with a number of big-name strikers set to shift. Juventus might want to verify whether or not cashing in when Vlahovic’s worth has risen once more is the best transfer; the danger of dropping his probably elite peak years is pretty excessive as effectively. 

For now, although, the main focus is on closing the hole to Inter and retaining the others behind. If Juventus and Vlahovic can handle that, it’s unlikely anyone in Turin will ever query the €80 million price ticket once more.