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Vlahovic 'better than' Man City's Haaland claims Serbian FA president

  /  autty

Serbian FA president Nenad Bjekovic has made the bold claim that Dusan Vlahovic is better than Norwegian star Erling Haaland as he is 'more complete' than the Manchester City signing.

Haaland made the blockbuster move to the Etihad from Borussia Dortmund for £51million this summer and is expected to thrive at his new club, threatening the Premier League's top players such as Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

Meanwhile, Vlahovic snubbed reported interest from Arsenal to join Juventus for £62million on a four-year deal in January.

Haaland lit up the Bundesliga last season scoring 27 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions, while Vlahovic managed just 29 in 45 games for both Fiorentina and Juventus.

However, despite Haaland's more impressive scoring ratio, Bjekovic believes his countryman may have the edge.

'Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland,' Bjekovic told Tuttosport, via Goal.

'The Norwegian has devastating power, but Dusan is not inferior: there is also very little difference in their height.

'But the Juventus forward's variety and styles of player is better. Manchester City and Juventus paid more or less the same fee, including commissions, to sign the two this year from Borussia Dortmund and Fiorentina.'

The Serb finished the second-half of the season with nine goals, as he bids to fire the Old Lady back to the top of Italian football going forward.

He could have joined Haaland in the Premier League as there had been plenty of reports linking him with a move to the Emirates, as Arsenal looked for a replacement for the outgoing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window.

However, Vlahovic insisted a move to north London was never on the table.

'Maybe my agent knows [about Arsenal's offer] but I never talked to anyone about it,' he said in an interview with The Telegraph.

'I just had one club in my mind because Juventus is Juventus. There is nothing else to say, and now I feel honoured to be given this jersey. It's incredible every time I put it on.

'I definitely identify with their DNA. The Juventus personality coincides with my personality. When you come here you never give up, you fight all the time, you make the sacrifices. This was definitely what I was looking for.'

Meanwhile, Haaland's career so far has seen him score goals for fun, racking up 135 goals in 182 club games, giving him a goals per game ratio of 0.74 before he turns 22 next month.

The forward has now taken the next step to bring his scoring prowess to the Premier League.