Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic continues to write history following another jaw-dropping Serie A performance. The sought-after striker scored another top-flight brace as La Viola thrashed newly-promoted Salernitana 4-0 at Artemio Franchi.
Going into Matchday 16, Salernitana had 11 goals under their belt, while Vlahovic himself had 13 to his name. While the visitors failed to get on the scoresheet, the 21-year-old added two more goals to the tally as he now tops the scoring charts in Serie A with 15 goals. Notably, the Serbia international has scored 48% of Fiorentina’s league goals this season.
Vlahovic scored either side of half-time, taking his tally for 2021 to a staggering 31 goals. He has become only the third player in the last 60 years to smash a 30-goal barrier in Serie A across a single calendar year, equalling Luca Toni’s record. Only the former Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo (33) boasts a better scoring record in one calendar year.
31 – Dusan #Vlahovic (31) has just become only the third player in the last 60 years to have scored more than 30 Serie A goals in a single calendar year, after Cristiano Ronaldo (33 in 2020) and Luca Toni (31 in 2005). Flamethrower.#SerieA #FiorentinaSalernitana pic.twitter.com/u2utGBgHn7
— OptaPaolo ? (@OptaPaolo) December 11, 2021
However, Fiorentina have two more Serie A fixtures left before the New Year, and it’s hard to make a case for Vlahovic not shattering Ronaldo’s milestone. Sassuolo and Hellas Verona are their remaining two rivals in 2021, with neither side impressing defensively this season. With such a flattering record well within his grasp, the Serb could be too hot to handle for the mid-table Serie A duo.
Indeed, Vlahovic has hit the purple patch of late, scoring six times in his last five Serie A appearances. Given his form and unparalleled finishing, it’s safe to say he is currently one of the deadliest strikers in Europe, let alone Serie A. So it’s not strange that a host of top clubs are aiming to capture his services.
With Vlahovic’s contract running out in summer 2023, Fiorentina may not have a better opportunity to cash in on their prized asset than in the upcoming summer transfer window. Per reports, La Viola have slapped a €70m price tag on their headline star’s shoulders.