Real Madrid loanee Alvaro Odriozola believes Fiorentina team-mate Dusan Vlahovic is a ‘majestic’ footballer with ‘stratospheric qualities’ amid reports that Arsenal have agreed a deal to take him to the Premier League, speaking to AS.
You get the feeling that, for Odriozola, Tuesday morning training sessions are tougher than actual competitive games a lot of the time.
Because, in the last two years, the Spain international right-back has shared a dressing room with three of the most feared strikers on the planet; Karim Benzema in Madrid, Robert Lewandowski at Bayern Munich and, now, the irrepressible, explosive Dusan Vlahovic.
It’s been quite the rise for the self-proclaimed ‘next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’.
Few outside of Florence knew anything about Vlahovic as recently as 2019. But, after scoring 31 goals since the start of last season, he is certainly entering ‘household name’ territory these days.
Will Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic turn down Arsenal?
You’d be hard pressed to find a European giant who has not been linked with the Darren Anderton lookalike in recent times, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and even West Ham United mentioned at various stages.
Gianluca di Marzio even reported earlier in November that an upwardly-mobile Arsenal side have agreed a £68 million fee with Fiorentina.
Though Vlahovic is understood to have reservations about putting pen to paper with the Gunners.
“A very good player. For me, he is a monster in front of goal,” says one-time Tottenham target Odriziola, highlighting Vlahovic’s steel-capped self-confidence.
“He has a majestic mindset. I think that is going to help him be what he wants because he has a fantastic mentality and stratospheric qualities.”
North London neighbours Tottenham are doing their level best to snatch Vlahovic from under Arsenal’s nose.
Managing director Fabio Paratici opened talks with Fiorentina as far back as July, when Nuno Espirito Santo was still arranging the furniture in his new office.
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