Can Dusan Vlahovic replace Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal?

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:00 CDT
• 11 min read

Arsenal have been linked with a January transfer window move for Juventus attacker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Gunners were interested in signing the Serbia international from Fiorentina a year ago but were beaten to the centre-forward by Juventus, who paid a Serie A record fee for a January deal to secure the hitman’s services.

All is not well in Turin, though, with the 22-year-old subject to fitness concerns and the club in danger of receiving significant sanctions for financial irregularities that were caused by the previous board.

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Calciomercato reports that Arsenal’s interest in Vlahovic has been reignited by an injury to Gabriel Jesus that has forced him to undergo knee surgery, potentially missing months of the season as a consequence.

But how do the two players compare?

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How Jesus and Vlahovic compare

Gabriel Jesus is the more versatile of the two players. Although he has featured as a centre forward this season, he was essentially a wide playmaker at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola last term.

Vlahovic may primarily be a pure goal poacher, but there is a degree of mobility to his game, too. Like Jesus, he typically behaves as a mobile striker, while he also shows some characteristics of a second striker.

Gabriel Jesus vs Premier League strikers: 2022/23

Dusan Vlahovic vs Serie A strikers: 2022/23

In terms of performance, Vlahovic is comparatively stronger in Serie A than Gabriel Jesus is in the Premier League, though it should be remembered that this is a lower level than England’s top flight.

According to data analytics experts SciSports, the profiles of the two players are very similar, though Vlahovic has a clear advantage over Gabriel Jesus when it comes to ball retention.

On the contrary, the Arsenal player’s pressing is far stronger than that of the Juventus man.

Looking at the pair in a more absolute fashion, SciSports believes that Jesus is significantly the stronger player and will likely remain so for the duration of the pair’s careers. Nevertheless, Vlahovic is seen as a player with the potential to become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s set up.

Vlahovic looks a more than capable replacement for Gabriel Jesus in the short term, but whether he is the right signing for Arsenal depends on Arteta’s plans for the Brazilian in the long term.

If Jesus is to adopt the wide role he played for Man City, they can both operate in the same side and could flourish together for years to come, but if it is to remain in the centre, Vlahovic is the type of lavish transfer that the Gunners could do without as they seek to build a stronger core to their team.