Kovacevic backs Woltemade for Juventus and says Vlahovic should have stayed

Juventus should give Nick Woltemade the confidence to lead their attack, according to former striker Darko Kovacevic — but backing the German does not change his verdict on the forward who left Turin. Kovacevic believes Juventus should have kept Dusan Vlahovic, and says Luciano Spalletti is missing a striker like him.

Woltemade scored in Vigo, but Kovacevic told La Gazzetta dello Sport that his support for the 24-year-old came before that goal. He pointed to the forward’s 198-centimetre height, technical ability and movement, saying: “For him to be Juventus’ No. 9, he needs only confidence.”

The endorsement comes with Kenan Yildiz sidelined by a foot injury and Juventus considering their attacking balance. Kovacevic sees a possible partnership between Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani, arguing that two forwards can divide space and defenders’ attention. He drew on his own experience of playing alongside Filippo Inzaghi at Juventus, while making clear that Spalletti must decide whether the pairing suits his team.

His clearest criticism, though, concerns Vlahovic’s departure. “Spalletti is missing a forward like Dusan,” Kovacevic said, adding that Juventus should have kept him in Turin. He also suggested Vlahovic may regret leaving and pointed to his connection with black-and-white shirts at Partizan, Juventus and Besiktas; Fiorentina was the exception.

That leaves Juventus with two related questions: whether Woltemade can become the trusted No. 9 Kovacevic describes, and whether a partner can help him settle into that role while Yildiz is out. Juventus are seventh after six league games, with 11 points from three wins, two draws and one defeat, and a goal difference of plus four. Their next test is against Lazio at home on Sunday 18 October.

Kovacevic also singled out Lazio’s Davide Frattesi as dangerous and said he has a particular liking for winger Gustav Isaksen, who can hurt opponents in different ways. Isaksen has one goal in one league appearance this season; Frattesi has no goals or assists in his one appearance. Kovacevic represented both clubs and says he feels more attached to Juventus, but his assessment offers Spalletti both a candidate to trust and a reminder of the striker he believes the club should not have lost.