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Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic was “spotted” in a London hotel earlier this week, amid rumours he could join Chelsea, according to reports in Italy.
The Corriere Dello Sport speculate that the Serbian international could well join a Premier League team due to his contract situation, and his presence in the UK adds fuel to the fire.
Vlahovic’s current deal expires next month, and recruiting a new no.9 at zero cost is something the Blues may well consider.
After missing out on Champions League football, the club need to cut their cloth accordingly, and so looking at the free agent market makes sense.
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Could Chelsea meet the player’s wage demands?
One of the reasons that a move to Stamford Bridge seems unlikely is due to Vlahovic’s salary expectations. He is not expected to renew with Juve as the Serie A team are not willing to continue paying him £370,000 a week.
The Blues’ highest earner, captain Reece James, is only on £200,000 a week, so unless Vlahovic is willing to take a sizeable hit on his wages, it’s difficult to see an agreement being reached on personal terms.
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Keeping Jackson would be wiser than signing Vlahovic
While the Juventus star has scored 120 goals in his senior career, his form and fitness over the past two seasons haven’t been that impressive. He found the back of the net just 10 times during the 2025/26 campaign.
Nicolas Jackson (who earns considerably less than £370,000 a week), is returning to Chelsea this summer after his loan spell at Bayern Munich.
Despite not being a regular starter for the Bundesliga champions, he still managed to score more than Vlahovic (11 in total), and there are suggestions that he is prepared to come back and start afresh under Xabi Alonso. Keeping the Senegalese international would probably be the better choice.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here