Matthijs De Ligt has warned Manchester United that they will lose guaranteed goals if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club.
Ronaldo rejoined United last summer in a sensational homecoming transfer from Juventus, leaving De Ligt's team high and dry when it came to having a natural goalscorer in the first half of the season.
Given the striker's return was finalised on transfer deadline day in August, Juve had a matter of hours to find a replacement and would ultimately wait until January to sign a new No.7 - that being Dusan Vlahovic.
Fending off Arsenal for the highly-rated Fiorentina star's signature, Vlahovic has began life with the Bianconeri on fire, bagging four goals in six games.
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And his arrival was much-needed following Ronaldo's departure according to the Dutchman, who told Rondo, via Football Italia : "We lost Cristiano Ronaldo late in the summer and of course, we lost 30 goals with that.
"Because it was so late, we couldn't get someone like Dusan Vlahovic back right away. We certainly missed that in the beginning."
Although United's superstar has scored just once in his last 10 games, Ronaldo is still top of the charts for goals at Old Trafford and notably boasts six in as many Champions League games this term.
But recently, the 37-year-old discussed his future and how many years he has left at the top, with reports suggesting that he could quit United this summer should a new manager not take his fancy.
"It's hard to say that I don't want more, because if I'm at a club that gives me the opportunity to win more things, why not? And in the national team too," Ronaldo said in an interview with DAZN.
"I know I don't have many years left playing, four or five more, we'll see, and I want to win more things. You have to be intelligent and know that at 18, 20 or 25 you are not the same as at 35.
"And that is the maturity, the experience, the intelligence to understand that maybe you lose some things to win others and have the right balance to continue competing and be at the highest level."
Although the five-time Ballon d'Or winner broke countless records in Turin and remained a key asset for Juventus until the day he left, De Ligt is confident that Vlahovic can help fill the Ronaldo-shaped void.
"When I played against him [Vlahovic], I already noticed how strong and technically good he was," the defender continued.
"And what particularly appealed to me is that he is so driven to score a goal; he almost scolded teammates when he didn't get the ball. You need an attacker like that up front."
After a tough start to the campaign, Juventus are unbeaten in 13 Serie A games and just seven points off Napoli and AC Milan at the top of the table, and De Ligt is not ruling out an unlikely title win.
"We are still fighting on three fronts and I am really enjoying myself here," he added, having emerged as a stalwart in Massimiliano Allegri 's back line due to injuries to fellow centre-backs Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
"I notice that I learn more every week and I really like that. What Mino said was already three months ago; in that time, so much can change… At the moment, I'm just fully focused on this season."
