Dušan Vlahović

Dušan Vlahović (Душан Влаховић; born 28 January 2000) is a Serbian professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Juventus and the Serbia national team.

On 9 December, he became the first player born in the 2000s to start for the Viola, featuring in a 3–3 away draw to Sassuolo.

He was also the only player in Europe's top-five leagues born after 2000, alongside Erling Haaland, to have scored at least 40 goals in Europe's top-five leagues.

Media reports centred heavily on Arsenal's pursuit of Vlahović, however on 28 January 2022, his 22nd birthday, Vlahović signed for Juventus on a four-and-a-half-year contract; in a deal was worth €70 million, plus €10 million in performance-related bonuses, making him the most expensive transfer in the Serie A winter transfer window.

In summer 2014, Vlahović ended up joining rivals Partizan.

He signed his first professional contract with Partizan in 2015, only aged 15.

Vlahović scored a goal in the 2015–16 Serbian Cup final against Javor Ivanjica, helping his side win 2–0.

Graduating from Partizan's youth system, Vlahović made his first-team debut in 2016, winning a league title and two Serbian Cups.

In early 2016, Vlahović joined the first team under coach Ivan Tomić and was given the jersey number 9.

He made his Serbian SuperLiga debut on 21 February against OFK Beograd, as the Partizan's youngest debutant in history.

In the next fixture, played on 27 February, Vlahović became the youngest player to play the Eternal derby, in which he was substituted on for the beginning of the second half.

On 2 April, Vlahović scored his first career goal for Partizan against Radnik Surdulica in a 3–2 home win, and became the youngest scorer in club history.

He also scored a goal in a semi-final cup match against Spartak Subotica on 20 April, winning 3–0 away.

He was scouted by a number of established European teams, including Arsenal, Anderlecht and Juventus with Partizan declining all offers.

Vlahović played his first match in the new season against Zagłębie Lubin on 21 July, in the second leg of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round; it was his European debut for Partizan.

Vlahović started his first match in the second fixture of the 2016–17 league season, in an away match against Napredak Kruševac.

He moved to Italian club Fiorentina in 2018.

In June 2017, Vlahović signed a five-year preliminary contract with Fiorentina, which became official on his 18th birthday, on 28 January 2018.

Vlahović was officially bought by Fiorentina on 22 February 2018, choosing to wear the number 18.

Due to administrative norms, he was not available to play until 1 July 2018.

Initially registered to Fiorentina's under-19s, Vlahović, aged 18, made his senior debut for Fiorentina on 25 September 2018, in a 2–1 Serie A defeat to Inter Milan; in the process, he became the first player born in the 2000s to represent the club.

He made 10 appearances with the first team in the 2018–19 season.

During that season, Vlahović won the 2018–19 Coppa Italia Primavera, scoring a brace against Torino in the first leg of the final, and a penalty in the second leg.

In the following season, Vlahović was de facto included in the first team.

On 18 August 2019, Vlahović scored his first goals with Fiorentina, a brace in a 3–1 win against Monza in the third round of the 2019–20 Coppa Italia.

His first goals came on 10 November, scoring a brace in a 5–2 away defeat against Cagliari.

Vlahović ended the season with eight goals in 34 appearances.

With 21 league goals in the 2020–21 Serie A, Vlahović was awarded Serie A Best Young Player.

After an impressive goalscoring form in the first half of 2021–22, Italian rivals Juventus signed him in January 2022 for a reported fee of €70 million.

Vlahović is a former Serbia youth international, representing his country at various youth levels, before making his senior international debut in 2020 during the UEFA Nations League.

Born in Belgrade, Vlahović started playing football in the Altina Zemun football school, where he competed mostly with older players.

Shortly after, he joined OFK Beograd's youth system for three months, and also made one appearance for Red Star Belgrade.

In the 2020–21 season, Vlahović found more and more space as a starter, especially after the arrival of Cesare Prandelli at the helm of Fiorentina.

On 22 December 2020, he contributed with a goal to Fiorentina's away win in Turin over Juventus (3–0), which marked the first victory of the Viola at the home of the Bianconeri after 12 years.

On 13 March 2021, Vlahović scored his first career hat-trick in a 4–1 away win over Benevento.

He ended the year with 21 total goals, winning the title of Serie A Best Young Player.

Vlahović started the 2021–22 season by scoring a brace in a 4–0 win against Cosenza in the first round of the 2021–22 Coppa Italia.

On 31 October 2021, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Spezia.

On 19 December 2021, Vlahović scored his 33rd Serie A goal of the calendar year; he became the only player, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in 2020, to do so since 1951.

In his previous season-and-a-half at Fiorentina, Vlahović scored 38 league goals, more than any other active player in the same time period.