Vlahovic: ‘I decided to stay at Fiorentina’
Dusan Vlahovic can’t stop scoring for Fiorentina and reiterates it was his decision to snub offers from Atletico Madrid and Tottenham. ‘I followed my heart.’
The Serbia international converted two penalties in this evening’s surprise 2-1 win away to Atalanta, so he now has five goals in four competitive games for his club this season.
Serie A | Atalanta 1-2 Fiorentina: Vlahovic and VAR decisive
Vincenzo Italiano has transformed Fiorentina and is one of the reasons why Vlahovic remained.
“We always believed in this team, from the moment we started working with the coach. We are just at the beginning, we must keep working hard, listening to the boss, being a team and then we can do great things,” the 21-year-old told Sky Sport Italia.
Now that he has 20 goals in 2021, does Vlahovic see himself among the top strikers in Europe?
“No, it just means I need to keep working with humility and determination. I can gain experience and continue along this path, then we can achieve great results.”
He had been at the centre of a €70m bidding war between Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur this summer, but Fiorentina refused to sell.
“I said many times that I decided to stay in Florence, nobody else had to decide for me. When the coach arrived, and the squad we put together, it’s good. At the end of the season, we will see if it proved to be the right decision, but I followed my heart.
“I am young, my moment will come and I just need to continue working like this.”
The forward was asked how his contract extension talks are going.
“We are talking, that is all I can say.”
Dušan Vlahovic has scored 20 goals in 21 Serie A matches in 2021. Born in 2000. #Vlahovic
Tottenham were interested this summer, Atletico Madrid offered €60m plus % on future sale: Fiorentina and Vlahovic with his agent said no.
New contract talks are currently underway. pic.twitter.com/S664FHoSMb
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 11, 2021