Manchester City have been told to swap Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic with Erling Haaland as the Serbian can also bag “50 goals a season”.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Former Italian goalkeeper Giovanni Galli, who played for AC Milan, Fiorentina and Napoli among others, feels Vlahovic offers “nothing less” than City star Haaland and if he was in a more attack-minded team than the Serie A side, the 23-year-old’s goalscoring feats would be as stratospheric.
WHAT GIOVANNI GALLI SAID
He told Tuttisport: “I have a weakness for Dusan. I’ve known him since his time in Florence, he is extraordinary. He has everything. Determination, desire, physicality and a lethal left foot. He is also strong with headers. Right now, he is physically fit, and he is the player we saw at Fiorentina. Physical problems tormented him for a year, but now he is proving to be a champion.
“It may sound like a provocation, but it’s not. If I were Guardiola and asked to swap Vlahovic and Haaland, I’d do it. Dusan has nothing less than the Norwegian. He must make the most of every chance at Juventus because they don’t produce as many goal-scoring opportunities as Manchester City. But Vlahovic has scored 12 goals anyway. I’d like to see him in a more attacking-minded team. If he were at Manchester City, he’d also score 50 goals per season like Haaland, I am sure about it.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Haaland has not been as prolific as he was last season, where he scored 52 goals in 53 matches for Pep Guardiola’s men, his haul of 19 this term is still significantly better than Vlahovic’s tally of 12 for Juventus. Moreover, Haaland has scored 226 goals in 276 games whereas the Serbian international has 87 in 220 career appearances.
WHAT NEXT?
Haaland, who has been out of action for nearly two months due to a bone stress reaction in his foot, could feature for City away to Brentford on Monday night. Vlahovic, on the other hand, is likely to start against Inter Milan in a top of the table clash with Juve on Sunday night.