The winter transfer market always holds big surprises. One of the most exciting signings of month has been Dusan Vlahovic’s move to Juventus. The club spent a whopping 80 million euros for the former Fiorentina striker.

Vlahovic is, perhaps, an unknown to those unfamiliar to Serie A.  Therefore, at the MBP School of Coaches, we have analyzed the Serbian’s player profile, looking into what fundamentals he masters and what he can bring to the Bianconeri.

Analysis

Player Profile:

Vlahovic possess a modern-day striker’s profile. The Serb resembles in some respects to better known players like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. These forwards provide the main reference for their side, yet remain technically gifted, in addition to being physically imposing.

For this reason, the first structure that we want to highlight in the new Juventus player, is the conditional one. Vlahovic is a physical prodigy, not only in terms of endurance, but also through his speed and body strength.

Through his conditional ability, the new Juventus number 7 is able to offer infinite solutions to his teams, either through long balls into space, where he can utilize his speed of movement, or through aerial balls, being able hold the ball up and organize the attacking play for his side.

The second structure we want to highlight in Vlahovic is the emotive-volitional one. The 22-year-old is a true leader on the pitch. Thanks to his dedication to improve on a daily basis, and his desire to be one of the best 9’s on the world stage, the Serbian became a benchmark at Fiorentina, and will hope to do the same at Juventus.

Fundamentals:

If there is one thing the forward stands out in, it is his ability to score goals. Vlahovic masters many fundamentals when it comes to finishing the play. However, the Individual Fundamental that sets him apart from the rest is his ability to prioritize accuracy over power when it comes to shooting.

Thanks to his coordination skills, he is able to put the ball exactly where he wants. As a result, the Serbian is always looking for more accurate and precise shots, far from the goalkeeper’s zone of intervention.

However, we must also highlight his great mid and long-distance shooting, where his power enables him to beat the goalkeeper from range.

The second fundamental to highlight refers to the universal one of not stopping once the advantage in the action has been achieved. Once Vlahovic gains a spatial advantage over the defender, and given the physical qualities previously described, the striker will drive away and will not stop until he faces the goalkeeper, making him unreachable for the opponent.

Finally, another of the more noteworthy aspects of the star signing is his ability to dismark in depth to the inside spaces before a spatial imbalance in the defensive line.

The Serbian has a very high cognitive capacity. This factor allows him to identify imbalances in the opponent’s defensive line, and thus be able to attack them through dismarking into depth. In these moments, he positions himself in favorable areas to receive the ball away from his direct opponent. Likewise, Vlahovic also masters the timing between the run and the teammate’s pass, avoiding the possibility of falling offside.

Impact on the Collective:

Although he has yet to make his debut for Juventus, Vlahovic’s impact on the Turin team will be felt from the very first moment.

The player will open up a range of possibilities for Max Allegri’s side in attack. Juventus, due to the style of play the Italian wants to adopt, is a team that tends to take the initiative in the game. However, the arrival of Vlahovic, with the player profile he has, will allow his new team to adopt different styles of play, such as counterattacking.

Finally, the most significant impact will be in front of goal. This aspect will be multiplied, as the top scorer for Bianconeri until now was Dybala with 7 goals, 10 less than the new signing.

Conclusion

Dusan Vlahovic is facing his first big challenge in his career. His arrival at the Turin club has caused expectation to see how he will perform at one of the top teams in Europe. However, after having analyzed the player, at MBP School of Coaches we are sure that the striker will succeed, not only for his tactical, technical, and physical qualities, but also for his mental maturity, and his desire to be one of the best players in the world.