Chelsea are on the hunt for a striker this summer after struggling for goals last season and Dusan Vlahovic is one of many players on their radar, but Corriere dello Sport say the Blues aren’t willing to match Juventus’ asking price. Chelsea might instead offer the Old Lady a replacement centre-forward as a makeweight in any deal for Vlahovic.
Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as manager at the end of May and has inherited an impotent attack. Not only did Chelsea score only 38 goals in as many Premier League games last season, their existing centre-forwards only have two goals between them – David Datro Fofana (0), Armando Broja (1), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (1).
So Pochettino desperately needs a tried and tested striker and Vlahovic is the transfer target they’ve identified. The 23-year-old has scored only 23 goals from 63 games at Juve since his 2022-move from Fiorentina, so he’s not had the best time in Turin.
Vlahovic netted 10 goals from 27 Serie A games in 2022/23, so Juve are looking to cash in. Chelsea are hoping to capitalise on the situation but don’t want to pay €80m (£68.5m) for his signature. Corriere dello Sport say the Blues are ready to offer Romelu Lukaku as a makeweight in a deal for the Serbian international.
Chelsea loaned Lukaku out to Inter Milan last season and have no intention on keeping him in the first-team this campaign, so they would consider including him to bring the cost down. The 30-year-old is interested in turning his loan move permanent at Inter, however, so it remains to be seen where he’ll end up.
Lukaku has scored 15 goals in 59 games for Chelsea while reportedly earning £325k-per-week, so it’s little wonder the Blues are keen to cash in. Whether Juventus want the £97.5m signing is another story, however, as he only scored 10 goals from 25 Serie A games last season.
His recent record is similar to Vlahovic while being seven years older, so the Old Lady might not feel they’re getting a good deal.
