Jan Mlakar

Jan Mlakar

Country: Slovenia

Date of birth: 23/10/1998 (17 years old)

Place of birth: Slovenia

Height: 184cm

Youth career: NK Domzale, Fiorentina (since 2015)

Current club: Fiorentina

Squad number: —

Current national team: Slovenia U-19

Position: centre forward

Preferred foot: right

Market value (by transfermarkt.de): 500.000 €

Tournaments participated in: 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification elite round (3/4), 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship (3/0), Viareggio Cup 2016 (3/1)

Contract until: unknown

Player’s agent: unknown

Transfer rumours: —

Similar type of player: Robert Lewandowski

Strengths:

– finishing

– instinct

– physicality

– heading

– off the ball movement

– decisions

– pace & acceleration

– hold-up play

– ambidexterity

Weaknesses:

No significant weaknesses.

Style of play:

– quick and powerful goal poacher

– tall, powerful, strong, and prolific striker with good speed and dribbling skills

– very composed finisher capable on both feet

– likes to play off the shoulder of the opposition defenders

– likes to try to beat offside trap

– often uses his strength and aerial presence to bring teammates into play

– indirect set-piece threat

– aerial threat in the opposition box

– generates many flick-ons and passes into the channels for his teammates to utilize

– capable of holding up the ball for teammates to provide them with assists when playing with his back to goal

– clinical in one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper

– good decision maker in the final third

– dependable option while defending set pieces

He is best suited to playing as:

Centre forward in 4-3-3.

Video:

Achievements:

—

League summary (as for 6 July 2016):

No senior team appearances yet.

Description:

Jan Mlakar is currently considered to be one of the top talents in Slovenian football. He started his career in NK Domzale, where he was a real goal machine in the youth team. This turned the scouts’ attention to him and in January 2015 he moved to Fiorentina. Currently, he is one of the top stars of the youth Viola side and is a part of a very interesting offensive trio alongside Simone Minelli and Federico Chiesa. He’s scored the most goals in the qualifiers to the 2015 European Under-17 Championship and it is mostly due to his goals that Slovenia made it to the tournament, where they got knocked out after 3 losses in the group.

Quotes:

“A ruthless marksman in the mould of, say, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Edinson Cavani or even Robert Lewandowski, this teenager is very confident and exceptionally prolific (16 goals in 16 appearances for Slovenia’s Under-16s and Under-17s) but has the vision and the intelligence to involve his team-mates. Rumours about interest from Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham emerged after he scored against England for the Under-17s in March, but last year Fiorentina paid €1m plus hefty add-ons to prise him away from NK Domzale.”

(theguardian.com)

Football Talent Scout potential rating:

7/10