Coveted striker Dušan Vlahovic was undergoing a medical at Juventus on Friday to complete what is expected to be one of the biggest moves of the transfer window.
Juventus tweeted a video of Vlahovic signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans before he went inside Juventus’ medical facility.
Juventus will reportedly pay Fiorentina a transfer fee of 67 million euros ($75 million) for Vlahovic, plus another possible 8 million euros ($9 million) in bonuses.
The 21-year-old Vlahovic 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 has struggled to replace Cristiano Ronaldo since his move to Manchester United in the offseason and scored only 34 goals this season — fewer than any of the top 10 teams in the Italian league, apart from Torino.
Vlahovic, 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 Vlahovic 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 CEO Luigi De Siervo said after Vlahovic 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.”