Manchester United were linked with Dusan Vlahovic during the January transfer window, before he moved to Juventus.
The Serbian hitman moved from Fiorentina to Juventus, taking the number seven shirt Cristiano Ronaldo vacated in the summer when he returned to Old Trafford.
And Juve director Pavel Nedved has made comparisons between the up-and-coming hitman and United’s Portuguese superstar.
As per Football Italia, Nedved said of Vlahovic: “I’ll be honest, Vlahovic surprised me too. There are comparisons to some of the top players like Cristiano Ronaldo.
“I knew he was a very good player, but he was born in 2000 and if he continues with this mentality, he can really do great things.
“I am convinced the future belongs to him. He is really intelligent, knows how to prepare for games, is very humble and that is so important for a player to become a champion. He really is on the right track.
“It is really nice when these young players who are hungry and humble come to ask you for advice. You feel useful.”
As we wrote four weeks ago, Juventus now have their post-Ronaldo, long-term striker and United do not.
It is already clear that the club will sign a new younger frontman in the summer, irrespective of who the manager is.
Edinson Cavani is bound for the exit door and Ronaldo cannot carry United’s attack on his own.
A younger, long-term solution is needed and Vlahovic is one of the players who could have fit the bill.
It would be a surprise to see United raid Juve for the Serbian so quickly, but they did just go and get their striker last summer and do have the bumper budget to do it again.
Vlahovic is only 22, and Juventus will hope they have him for the next ten years. They have moved Ronaldo on in the next transfer window, found a long term striker solution, while United need to decide who the new manager will be, what system and style he wants to play and then land a new frontman.
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