Ex-Italy international unsure new Juventus signing can partner with Vlahovic

epa11777785 Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic during the Italian Serie A soccer match Juventus FC vs Venezia FC at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, 14 December 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO

Former Juventus striker Aldo Serena feels new signing Randal Kolo Muani can cover different roles under Thiago Motta, but didn’t see the French striker partner with Dusan Vlahovic.

Kolo Muani is set to join Juventus on a dry loan deal from PSG. This means the Bianconeri do not have an option to make his move permanent, so the France international will return to Paris at the end of the current campaign.

Kolo Muani was the second Juventus signing in the winter transfer window after Portuguese right-back Alberto Costa from Vitoria Guimaraes.

Serena, a former striker and Serie A winner at Juventus feels Kolo Muani will boost Motta’s options in attack in the second part of the season.

“Kolo Muani has talent and can play in many roles. He can play as a striker or winger, moving across all the attacking third,” Serena told La Stampa (via TMW).

“He offers many solutions as he can link up or move inside the spaces. All we’ve got to understand is why he struggled at PSG. He didn’t meet expectations, especially considering his transfer fee.”

Kolo Muani joined PSG from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for €95m, but he only managed 11 goals in 54 appearances with the Ligue 1 giants.

He was no longer part of Luis Enrique’s plans this season, so he left the French capital with two goals in 10 appearances to his name.

Juventus are fighting for the top four after investing circa €200m in the summer transfer window. Although they are still unbeaten in Serie A, they have collected 12 points in 19 rounds. The best online casinos listed the Bianconeri among the potential Scudetto winners in the summer, but bookmakers currently see Napoli, Inter and Atalanta among the favourites for the title.

If Kolo Muani settles quickly in Turin, he will surely help a team that has had only Vlahovic as a centre-forward option this season due to Arkadiusz Milik’s recurring fitness issues.

Nevertheless, and despite Kolo Muani’s versatility, Serena is unsure he would play alongside Vlahovic.

“I don’t think it’s feasible because we all know how much Motta loves the wingers and he has man yat Juventus,” concluded the former striker.

“Kolo Muani and Vlahovic in attack, Yildiz and Conceiçao as wingers and Koopmeiners in central midfield, would be too attacking-minded.”

Serena, 64, scored 85 goals in 255 Serie A matches during his playing career.

He won Serie A titles at Juventus, Inter and Milan and was the Serie A top goal scorer in 1988-89.

A former Italy international, Serena was part of the Azzurri squad that finished third at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.