Chelsea have reportedly approached Juventus for the signing of Dusan Vlahovic, as Mauricio Pochettino seeks to add more firepower to his frontline ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Mauricio Pochettino is keen for the Blues to recruit a new striker even though the club have already signed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson this summer. No firm decision on whom to pursue next has yet been made, however, the west London club are anticipating Romelu Lukaku’s departure.
According to The Evening Standard, Dusan Vlahovic is on the shortlist of strikers drawn up by the new Chelsea boss. They have asked about the Serbian striker’s situation through intermediaries but have yet to submit an offer to Juventus.
Vlahovic, 23, had a stop-start injury-hit last season with Juventus, where he scored 14 goals across all competitions. The report adds the Old Lady do not want to sell the 23-year-old striker this summer but if any club tables an offer in the region of £68million, then they will take it up for consideration.
Dusan Vlahovic to Chelsea—Right option?
It looks to be a very important summer for Chelsea in the transfer market as they remain determined to get back into the top four under new manager Mauricio Pochettino after a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. Apart from reinforcing the midfield unit, the Pensioners are also keen to add more firepower to their ranks.
Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic appears to be on Pochettino’s shortlist of strikers. Vlahovic has been with Juventus since January 2022 and he has netted 23 goals in 63 appearances so far. Prior to his move to the Old Lady, the Serbian hitman was a consistent source of goals for Fiorentina, plundering 44 Serie A goals in 98 appearances.
As a result, the 23-year-old is not short of suitors despite his struggles with fitness and form last season. One of the interested clubs is Chelsea, who have already sold forward Kai Havertz to Arsenal. Armando Broja’s future at Stamford Bridge remain uncertain while Romelu Lukaku is expected to leave the club permanently.
As a consequence, Chelsea definitely needs to bolster their attacking department, and they have done well to sign Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson from RB Leipzig and Villarreal, respectively, but another slightly physical striker would be a shrewd piece of business from the club’s hierarchy. Vlahovic, in that regard, would be perfect.
With his pace, power and strength, Vlahovic can be a proper bully and combine well with the likes of Jackson, Nkunku and Mudryk around him which will be ideal for a team like Chelsea. He is a predator in the box and could solve Chelsea’s goalscoring problems next term. The Pensioners are expected to play a free-flowing, fluid style of football under Pochettino where the striker likes to link up the play and storm in the box to finish off chances, and someone like Vlahovic can be the perfect fit for this kind of system.
With that being said, Chelsea must go all out in the pursuit of the Serbian international as he has the qualities to become the club’s new No.9 for the best part of this decade.
