DV7: Juventus finds its replacement for Ronaldo in Vlahović

TURIN, Italy (AP) — It’s taken five months but Juventus has finally found a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Coveted striker Dušan Vlahović completed a 70-million-euro ($80-million) transfer from Fiorentina on Friday on his 22nd birthday and will wear the No. 7 shirt vacated by Ronaldo.

Juventus’ tweet announcing the move included the hashtag “DV7” — a take on Ronaldo’s “CR7.” Vlahović wore No. 9 for Fiorentina.

Juventus said Vlahović signed a deal through June 2026 and that the transfer fee also could include up to 10 million euros ($11 million) in bonuses.

Vlahović has scored 20 goals in 24 matches in all competitions for Fiorentina this season and is joint top of the Serie A scoring charts, along with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile.

In fifth place, Juventus had struggled to replace Ronaldo since his move to Manchester United in August. The Bianconeri have scored only 34 goals this season — fewer than any of the top 10 teams in the Italian league, apart from Torino.

Vlahović, a Serbia international, could be the perfect player to change that, having just matched Ronaldo’s feat of scoring 33 league goals in a calendar year.

Juventus is also without injured winger Federico Chiesa.

“Dusan Vlahović continues to amaze. Last year he was the best young player in Serie A, this year he is living up to great expectations by proving himself to be one of the best players this season,” Serie A chief executive Luigi De Siervo said after Vlahović was named the league’s player of the month for December.

“Physical strength, technique, a spirit of sacrifice and a great sense of goal make him one of the most complete forwards around.”

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