Is Stevan Jovetic worth 30 million euros?
As rumours swirl at the start of soccer’s silly season, Jovetic has become the centre of attention. The 23-year-old forward scored 13 goals in Serie A this past season while also adding five assists in 29 appearances for Fiorentina.
The Montenegrin international has been linked with Juventus since last summer, and he has even gone on record that he hopes his future is in Turin. Juventus have been searching for a striker with his type of skill set, but the Bianconeri continue to waver when it comes to the asking price for the Fiorentina superstar.
Things have changed this summer, though. Jovetic’s play has now caught the eye of some big clubs around Europe, especially in England where Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal have all been linked to the Montenegrin. However, even they seem to have started looking elsewhere after hearing Fiorentina’s asking price.
So it raises the question: Is Jovetic worth 30 million euros?
European Proven?
Let me start off by saying I am a huge fan of Jovetic. I have long admired the Montenegrin since watching him score against my beloved Juventus way back in 2010 at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Up until that point, I had not seen much of the young striker, but I had heard about his glowing performances in the Champions League for Fiorentina. At the ripe age of 19, Jovetic scored a brace against Liverpool, and later that season he would score two more against Bayern Munich. That 2009-10 season has been the only time Jovetic participated in the Champions League, and it resulted in five goals through six appearances.
Can you say he’s Europe proven? Or is it too small of a sample size? I’m certain this is a question raised by teams who are in pursuit of his services.
Injuries
The 2010-11 campaign was a disastrous one for Jovetic, as a knee injury early on kept him on the idelines. Unfortunately for Jovetic, the injuries did not stop there. Although he has not suffered serious injuries in recent years, Jovetic can never seem to stay healthy consistently enough to put together a full campaign.
For example the last two years have resulted in him earning just 60 appearances, and to put that in perspective, Chelsea played well over 60 matches in this past season alone.
This might be the biggest worry clubs have before splashing the cash on the Montenegrin. An inability to withstand the grind of a long season is a factor teams will not overlook. In an age where squad depth is just as important as your starting 11, being prone to injury means you have to be significantly better than the next guy in order to warrant the big dollars from Europe’s glamour outfits.
Team player and versatility
In Italy, strikers tend to get grouped into one of two categories. One is a prima punta, which is essentially ‘the poacher type’ or the classic ‘number 9’ striker – a big strong burly type of character with great aerial ability and a knack for finishing plays.
The other is a seconda punta or more widely known as a support striker. Jovetic would fall into this category. It is a position that demands speed, ball control, and technical skill from the player. Jovetic has all of these attributes, and he can as score goals.
Jovetic is also versatile. Despite not playing much in an attacking midfield position, he can play there. He is a technically gifted player, with great vision and an ability for finding the open man. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City all played a version of the 4-2-3-1 last season, and Jovetic would fit perfectly into the left side of the three man attacking midfield. He likes to cut in for long range shots, and is good with both feet.
The trouble with Jovetic, though, is the price. Although he’s been outstanding at Fiorentina, he does not warrant a 30 million euro price tag. However, since he is only 23, he still has room to grow and potentially has great sell-on value.
Should Juventus overpay to get him? Will he one day be worth more 30 million euros? Fiorentina is banking on English clubs to start a bidding war, but unfortunately for them, Juventus has shown that they will have none of that.
In the end, it will come down to the player. Jovetic has expressed a desire to stay in Italy and play with Juventus under Antonio Conte. If that is to happen, Fiorentina will have to lower its asking price to a more realistic valuation of the player because as it stands right now, Jovetic is not worth 30 million euros.
Dan Riccio is the host of the European Football Weekly podcast on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. Listen to the podcast HERE and follow Dan on Twitter.