Dusan Vlahovic is eager to move to the Premier League and a report has provided the latest on his potential switch to Chelsea, with the Blues also eyeing two other attacking stars from Serie A.
Vlahovic scored 49 goals in 108 games for Fiorentina to earn a £66.6million move to Juventus in January 2022, with the Bianconeri beating Arsenal to his signature. Since then, the striker has scored 62 goals in 153 appearances for Juve, netting the winning goal in the final of the 2024 Coppa Italia.
Despite that record, some at Juve feel Vlahovic has underperformed slightly. His contract expires in June, but the two parties have failed to reach an agreement over the finances around an extension.
This means the Serbia international could either leave Juve in a cut-price deal in January or via a free transfer next summer.
Vlahovic has always wanted to play in the Premier League and an update from TBR has revealed that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are among the frontrunners to sign him.
Vlahovic has ‘told his representatives to explore options in England’, which is where Chelsea and Spurs come in.
Journalist Graeme Bailey said: “Once again his people are touching base with potential landing spots – Chelsea and Tottenham have been spoken to by intermediaries. Much will depend on whether he wants a ‘pay day’ – he won’t get that in England.
“He would get major money obviously, but nothing compared to what he could earn in Saudi Arabia – he would only get more than his current salary at Juventus if he moved to the Middle East.
“But Vlahovic is just 25. Whilst doing well at Juventus, he hasn’t blown anyone away and you get the feeling he has unfinished business at this point of his career.”
There is plenty of interest in Vlahovic – who has netted 134 career goals in 310 matches – from around Europe. The report adds that Manchester United and Newcastle United are ‘admirers’, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich are ‘weighing up offers’.
At this stage, it appears most likely that Vlahovic will run down his contract before moving for free in the summer.
Getting the player for no transfer fee could be a masterful move from Chelsea. He has experience at the highest level and the physicality to hold off Premier League defenders.
Vlahovic has been compared to Erling Haaland in the past as he has a powerful left foot that he uses to finish with relative ease.
Interestingly, Vlahovic is not the only Serie A attacker Chelsea are interested in, amid recently speculation around another Juventus star in Kenan Yildiz and Bologna’s Santiago Castro….
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Indeed, it emerged on Friday that they have also sent scouts to watch Bologna’s Castro in action this season.
Chelsea have been impressed by the 21-year-old’s rise and are eyeing him as a future addition to their centre-forward ranks.
Plus, the Blues are rivalling Arsenal for Vlahovic’s Juve team-mate Kenan Yildiz. The playmaker is in contract talks with Juve, but his father/agent has been left underwhelmed by the money on offer.
This has given Chelsea and Arsenal optimism that a stunning deal can be struck in 2026.
Yildiz is Juve’s prized gem though, and he will therefore cost €80-90m (up to £78m).
Enzo Maresca’s side could be in the market for a new striker in January amid rumours Marc Guiu and Tyrique George may depart.
Guiu is reportedly frustrated at being left on the bench and wants to return to Sunderland on loan.
He joined the Black Cats in August but only played three times for the club before being recalled after Liam Delap’s hamstring injury.
Aged 19, Guiu is at a crucial stage in his development and would rather be playing on a weekly basis, which is far more likely at Sunderland.
George is typically viewed as a left winger but has been selected at centre-forward ahead of Guiu in the early stages of the campaign.
Despite picking up decent game time, George is pushing to leave on a permanent basis in January so he can be a guaranteed starter elsewhere.
Chelsea are ready to ‘green light’ George’s sale amid interest from clubs in both the Champions League and Premier League.
Chelsea news: Enzo Fernandez latest; Real Madrid revenge
Meanwhile, sources have provided TEAMtalk with an update on Enzo Fernandez as Real Madrid chase the Argentina star.
To seemingly get revenge for Madrid’s pursuit of Fernandez, Chelsea have reportedly moved for one of their midfielders.
A €50m bid has allegedly been submitted, and you can find out more here.
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