"He is at the start of his journey" - Allegri plays down comparisons between Juventus star and Cristiano Ronaldo

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has played down comparisons between new signing Dusan Vlahovic and former superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Vlahovic was brought in during the January transfer window and has been a huge hit so far, having scored four goals in his six games. The striker took the number seven jersey on joining the club, which was previously worn by Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, Allegri has insisted that it is still too early in the Serbian's career to draw comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo. He said:

"I don’t think you can compare them, the previous [number] seven won the Ballon d’Or four times, whereas Vlahovic is at the beginning of his career. A good game isn’t enough, you need immense mental strength and he is at the start of his journey."

Cristiano Ronaldo was a huge hit at the club during his three-year stint there. The Portuguese superstar scored 101 goals in 134 appearances across all competitions for Juventus, before leaving for Manchester United earlier this season

"He has character as well as quality" - Allegri on Vlahovic's performance in Juventus' win at the weekend

Vlahovic in action for Juventus

The Juventus manager has also heaped praise on his new Vlahovic following his strong start to life at the club. Speaking after the Serbian's brace in the 3-2 win against Empoli, Allegri said:

"Vlahovic is an important player, he has character as well as quality and has the kind of characteristics we didn’t have in the squad. You could tell straight away this lad has character, wants to win and is eager to learn. He moved a lot more today, didn’t just stay central, and that was a big advantage for him and for Juventus."

Vlahovic admitted that adapting to life in Turin has been easy because of his teammates. He said:

"We are happy, because after two draws, we needed a victory. My brace? It’s thanks to the team, if we work like this, together, as we are doing, we can achieve great results. I found myself in a new reality, but thanks to everyone, the team, the club, the coach, I'm settling in. We continue to work towards our goals"

Vlahovic is currently the Serie A's top scorer, having scored 20 goals in 25 league appearances so far. The Serbian is yet to taste defeat in a Bianconeri jersey. The Bianconeri are currently 4th in the league, five points behind Inter Milan in 3rd.

Allegri's side will take on Vlahovic's former side Fiorentina in the semi-final of the Coppa Italia during midweek, with the Serbian highly likely to lead the line on the night.