Arsenal target Vlahovic closes in on Ronaldo scoring record

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 11 Dec 2021 16:34 GMT
• 3 min read

Dusan Vlahovic continues to see his stock rise, with the Fiorentina star closing in on a Serie A scoring record set by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2020.

Vlahovic has been targeted by a string of clubs, most notably Premier League outfits Arsenal and Tottenham, and scored twice in Fiorentina’s one-sided over Salernitana on Saturday.

After Giacomo Bonaventura had given the Viola a first-half lead, Vlahovic added a second six minutes after the restart with his weaker right foot. His second arrived six minutes from time, which represented his 15th of the season in Serie A.

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Vlahovic chasing Ronaldo

Vlahovic, meanwhile, has been prolific throughout 2021, with the 21-year-old having scored 32 times in the league over the calendar year.

It means he has given himself a fighting chance to break the all-time record, which was set by Cristiano Ronaldo when he played for Juventus in 2020. During that year, the Portugal legend scored 33 times, meaning that the Serbian is only one short of his mark.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, have two matches to play before their league campaign for 2021 is ended.

After a Coppa Italia match against Benevento on Wednesday, they will play host to Sassuolo in next Sunday’s early Serie A encounter before travelling to Verona the following Wednesday in their final match of the year.

With Vlahovic having scored seven times in his last five Serie A matches, netting at least once in each of those games, few would back against him registering against at least one of two mid-table rivals and at least equalling Ronaldo’s mark.

Vlahovic’s transfer status

Out of contract in 2023 and apparently with his eyes set on bigger things, a January exit is possible.

Arsenal are just one of a number of teams linked with Vlahovic, but they will have to be willing to match Fiorentina’s €70 million asking price for the prodigious young striker.