Chelsea are plotting a move to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as Mauricio Pochettino looks to strengthen his attack, according to a report from Fichajes.
The Blues are in search of a prolific striker in the winter transfer window, with Nicholas Jackson struggling to find the mark consistently since joining the club last summer.
Jackson has also linked up with Senegal for the African Cup of Nations, leaving Chelsea short of options up front, so Pochettino is looking to bolster his ranks this month.
Having already spent a large sum in last summer’s transfer window, The Blues are set to make significant investments to fund a move for a lethal striker and Vlahovic is one of the names strongly linked with a transfer to Stamford Bridge.
According to Fichajes, Chelsea have held a long-standing interest in the Serbia International and were even contemplating making a move last summer but were held back due to Juventus’ high asking price.
The Blues are still showing a keen interest but face competition. Fichajes reports that Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in acquiring the services of the Juventus forward.
Vlahovic’s contract at the Allianz Stadium will run until June 2026 and has a market valuation of £51m by transfermarkt.
Need for a striker
Vlahovic has proven himself to be a lethal goalscorer and a deadly finisher, emerging as one of the most prolific young centre-forwards in Europe.
One area that has been a concern for Chelsea this season is the centre-forward role as Jackson and Broja do not pose significant firepower upfront to pose a top-six charge for European places next season.
For a team that possesses most of their games while creating a lot of chances, Vlahovic will emerge as the lethal finisher Mauricio Pochettino has been longing for as his Chelsea side have a knack for creating a lot of chances without scoring.
Vlahovic’s imposing physical figure, coupled with an electric burst of pace positions him a perfect fit for the physical demands of the Premier League.
With Jackson leaving for AFCON, it remains to be seen if Chelsea are willing to invest heavily in a striker who has been battling with niggling injuries in recent months.
