DV9

Rapier-sharp Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic, recently acquired by Italian giants Juventus from Fiorentina for a hefty €75 million, is experiencing that black-and-white-striped feeling once again. Six years after emerging as a teen sensation with hometown club Partizan Belgrade, he is now sporting exactly the same colours at Juventus.

Nicknamed “DV9” for his goalscoring prowess wearing the No.9 shirt at both of his former clubs, Vlahovic has been furnished with the No.7 jersey at Juventus. But it is undoubtedly a matter of time before he eventually inherits his favourite number at his new club too. You could say this was a move written in the stars.

The powerful yet adroit Vlahovic, fresh from scoring 37 Serie A goals in18 months for Fiorentina, faces the ultimate challenge at La Vecchia Signora. Juventus see the 22-year-old as the man to spearhead their much-needed relaunch and to this end have invested a reported €150m on the complete financial package, with the eye-watering figure made up of transfer fee, wages and bonuses.

Already in double figures for caps for Serbia, Vlahovic would waste no time presenting his calling card at the Juventus Stadium, scoring just13 minutes into his debut, a 2-0 home win over Verona. A couple of weeks on, he would repeat the dose, scoring just 33 seconds into his Champions League debut in a1-1