Linked in Italy with a move to Premier League champions Manchester United and on the radar of a plethora of European clubs, this starlet is one of the rising stars in Serie A. But who exactly is Stevan Jotevic? The Transfer Tavern asked Football Fancast columnist The New Voice of Football to investigate.
Aged just 19, Stevan Jotevic has been somewhat of a revelation since his arrival at Fiorentina last summer. The left winger-come-striker joining the Viola for around £9million following an impressive 19 goals in 33 games for Partizan Belgrade.
La Liga giants Real Madrid along with United, were reportedly interested in Jovetic back in 2007, with Sir Alex now believed to be casting his eye on Jovetic again. The youngster enjoyed a good debut season in Serie A and has had a cracking start to the current campaign. The Montenegro International already finding the net three-times, with it suggested that he is also on the radar of AC Milan, Lyon from Ligue 1 as well as Chelsea, who have apparently all scouted the player recently.
Jovetic already has 11 caps for Montenegro, scoring 6 goals and was a founding member of the national team, making his full debut aged just 17. Nicknamed ‘Jo-Jo’ by the Viola faithful, with some supporters and members of the Italian press referring to him as Brian May from Queen due to his hairstyle. Could this rock guitarist look-a-like have the potential to fill the Ronaldo void at Old Trafford? Let’s take a look.
[youtube P908AK26A6c nolink]
Well as you can see a few stopovers, goes down under minimal contact, but to be fair, Jovetic also had to be rugby tackled a few times to stop him and on the surface looks like the type of player, who has yet to realise their potential, with a bag of tricks up his sleeve. Sound familiar?
Standing 6ft tall, Jovetic is comfortable on either foot, has pace and an eye for goal, with his best years certainly yet to come. Under contract at the Viola until the summer of 2013, his value set to soar if the major European sides, come calling in January and Jovetic could easily fetch in excess of £15million.
Chelsea are obviously ruled out from making any move until January 2011 as it stands, which would probably make United the front-runners for Jovetic, with Ferguson still armed with wheelbarrows full of cash from the sale of Ronaldo to Los Blancos. However a switch to the San Siro can’t be ruled out, should the teenager decide he wishes to remain in Italy and wants to leave the Viola.
So should Jovetic arrive at Old Trafford, will he fly like Ronaldo before him under the tutelage of Ferguson in the Premier League? Or will he die on his backside like Veron and Forlan in the hardest league in the world?
About the Author
It’s ‘Jovetic’ and he would be a ‘winger cum striker’. The cum is latin – it means with. Pleb!