RomaPress
·14 October 2024
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Yahoo sportsRomaPress
·14 October 2024
It’s no secret that Roma caught many by surprise this summer when they announced the acquisition of forward Artem Dovbyk from Girona.
The Ukrainian international shocked onlookers this past summer when he opted to leave the Spanish side, who secured their first ever Champions League qualification, and join the Giallorossi for €39 million.
Unsurprisingly, the forward’s signing stirred up a lot of excitement among supporters after many throughout Serie A lauded the capital club for the signing. His arrival signaled a clear change in Roma’s tactical direction to strengthen their attacking arm.
Artem Dovbyk is a Ukrainian striker who made a name with his incredible scoring ability and adaptability across leagues. Born in 1997, Dovbyk started his professional career in Ukraine and then moved to Denmark before becoming the top scorer in the Ukrainian Premier League.
Physical, technical, tireless-the blend of qualities that has thrust him into the national team, where he still shines.
Dovbyk’s road to the top has been anything but smooth. He jumped around the second and third tiers of Ukrainian football with Cherkashchyna and Dnipro before moving to Denmark with FC Midtjylland in 2017.
Although his scoring output was meager, Dovbyk matured tremendously during his three years abroad—which prompted a major breakout following his move back to Ukrain with SC Dnipro.
After a slow first season, Dovbyk garnered attention from Europe’s biggest leagues over the next two seasons thanks to an impressive tally of 43 goals in 57 total appearances.
One of the standout moments in Dovbyk’s career came during his time at Girona, where he emerged as one of La Liga’s top scorers. His incredible goal-scoring form earned him the prestigious Pichichi Trophy, awarded to the top scorer in the league. Dovbyk’s success at Girona was a result of his relentless work ethic, clinical finishing, and ability to adapt to the fast-paced Spanish game.
His performances not only helped Girona in their campaign but also solidified his reputation as a formidable striker across Europe. At Girona, Dovbyk demonstrated versatility by playing both as a central forward and in wider attacking roles, making him a constant threat to opposition defenses.
His Pichichi-winning season was marked by his ability to score in a variety of ways—long-range strikes, headers, and instinctive finishes inside the box. This period of his career elevated his profile and played a significant role in securing his move to AS Roma.
(Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
The signing of Dovbyk has gone hand in hand with Roma’s long-term vision to build up their attacking contingent. Be it surefire, there has been a gradual attempt to build up a team that can fight for top honors; Dovbyk perfectly fits into this puzzle as a main missing jig-saw piece.
Capable of creating and finishing chances, he is the correct addition to Roma’s setup under Ivan Jurić. The main justifications for signing Dovbyk would be a tactical fit within the team, value for money, and international experience.
Curiously enough, some questions have indeed been raised as to whether advanced technologies like blockchain played any role in this transfer since blockchain is increasingly being used in football because of a concern for transparency and tracked data. No hard details are known about its usage in this deal, but it wouldn’t be a surprise, considering the direction football is taking. If you’re curious about how blockchain could influence football transfers, you can find recommended articles about Blockchain here.
With expectations high, many were worried by Dovbyk’s slow start to life in the Italian capital when he failed to score in his first three games.
However, it didn’t take long for the Ukrainian to dispel the doubters and re-find his scoring rhythm. He’s scored 3 goals for Roma in three of their previous four league games—displaying his full array of skills.
His capability to score with his head, feet, or from long-range shots means he can contribute in a number of ways. Moreover, he works very hard off the ball—allowing Roma to fulfill the high-pressing demands of manager Ivan Jurić .
The Croatian technician plays a high intensity brand of football and relies on forwards who press high—making Dovbyk a perfect fit for his system.
His superb link-up play allows the team’s creative forces, such as Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, to initiate attacking actions more efficiently. bring midfielders like Lorenzo Pellegrini into attacking moves more efficiently.
Roma’s signing of Artem Dovbyk was widely considered one of Serie A’s most shrewd transfer deals. Judging by his goalscoring record and physique, he possesses all the quality and traits you seek in a top-level striker.
If he can live up to expectations, there is little doubt but that he could be the missing piece Roma needs to challenge for top four in Serie A and beyond in seasons to come.
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