Antonio Cassano, the outspoken Italian football pundit, has praised Austrian striker Marko Arnautović, comparing him to a young Zlatan Ibrahimović.

Cassano said on his podcast: “I’ve said before that he’s much better than Moise Kean. I’ve always had a special liking for him. Arnautović is a genius and has only shown 50% of his potential in his professional career.

In a way, he reminds me of young Zlatan. Just look at that incredible assist he gave to Lautaro; in the first goal scene, he combined power with quality. I’m sure if he’s given serious trust, he’ll become an extraordinary player.

If we compare him to Dušan Vlahović, the result for me is 10-0 in favor of Arnautović. Also, at his peak, I prefer him much more than Marcus Thuram.

I’ve been saying this for years, even when he was playing in the Netherlands. Arnautović is a physical monster, shoots with both feet, and can play both as a lone striker and alongside another forward. He’s unique.”