Chelsea have identified Dusan Vlahovic as a ‘serious option’ to bolster Xabi Alonso’s attack this summer, according to CaughtOffside.
Vlahović first rose to prominence as one of Italian football’s brightest attacking talents during his spell with ACF Fiorentina. His outstanding form convinced Juventus to invest heavily in his signature.
In the 2024-25 campaign, he registered 17 goals and five assists across all competitions but has been unable to match that level in the recently concluded season.
A series of injuries has disrupted his momentum, limiting the Serbian striker to just 12 goal involvements.
Following the expiration of his contract last month, Vlahović is set to depart Juventus, having amassed 68 goals and 16 assists in 168 appearances for the club.
Despite his injury setbacks, the 6ft 2in striker is expected to attract significant interest from clubs across Europe.
Now, according to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are looking to revamp their attack this summer and have explored several centre-forward options.
One of them is Vlahovic, as per the report, which claims that the London giants have earmarked the 26-year-old as a ‘serious option’ to bolster their attack.
Following reports elsewhere that Chelsea have been in contact with the 6ft 3in forward’s entourage, CaughtOffside further reveals that the prospect of signing him on a free transfer is appealing to the club.
‘Serious option’
However, the Blues are also considering alternatives, including Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, Brentford’s Igor Thiago, Inter Milan’s Francesco Pio Esposito, and Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, according to the report.
From a statistical perspective, Vlahović would offer a clear upgrade on Liam Delap. While Delap managed just one goal in 28 Premier League appearances during the 2025/26 season, Vlahović found the net seven times in 19 Serie A outings.
He also posted superior shooting numbers, hitting the target with 47.4% of his attempts compared to Delap’s 42.3%, while his 14.3% conversion rate was significantly higher than the Englishman’s 2.8%.
Beyond the statistics, Vlahović would provide Xabi Alonso with greater top-flight experience and a more imposing presence in the box. At just 26, he is still approaching the peak of his career and would have every incentive to prove himself in a new league.
Chelsea have utilised an incentive-based salary structure, so it’ll be interesting to see whether the club will be willing to hand the Serbian a high salary, which reportedly led to a contractual disparity with Juventus before his eventual departure.
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