Dusan Vlahovic celebrates scoring goal for Juventus
Chelsea have been told that Dusan Vlahovic would have been a good signing for them.
The Serbian striker is a free agent, having left Juventus at the expiry of his contract earlier this summer.
Dusan Vlahovic at Juventus in 20254
Vlahovic's decline is hard to pinpoint why, but he was once one of the most highly rated forwards in the world
Vlahovic has long been linked with a Premier League transfer, with Arsenal missing out on him before he decided to join Juventus.
However, with only his wages to cover, we could eventually see the striker in the English top flight.
But numerous reports suggest that the 26-year-old is now on the cusp of joining Turkish club Besiktas.
One of the reasons that many Premier League clubs swerved him in the past was due to his reportedly extortionate wages of over £300,000 per week.
However, European football expert Andy Brassell thinks Chelsea would have been a good move for Vlahovic.
On Vlahovic's future, Brassell told talkSPORT.com's Joe Brophy: "It's very likely to be Besiktas.
"They made an offer for him a while ago, and obviously they're playing with some money that they didn't spend on Mo Salah despite the fact they've done that Trump thing. 'We were never interested in the first place.' Yeah, not sure about that.
"They've definitely got a few euros to spend, a few tax-free euros if you're Dusan Vlahovic. He's gonna get a better salary there than he would get anywhere else.
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"It's clear that he would take less money for what he sees as a more exciting sporting project, but I think he's been unpleasantly surprised by the lack of interest or the lack of concrete interest that there has been for a guy who we know has got great ability, we know is a good goal scorer and is as we say, without contract at the moment, I mean the type of speaking.
"He's been technically unemployed for nearly six weeks, so it is a little bit of a surprise to me. I would have thought an Atletico [Madrid] or a Newcastle [United] would have made him an offer.
Dusan Vlahovic playing for Juventus4
Vlahovic managed seven Serie A goals in 19 games last year
"Football's a small community and bad news travels fast, but clearly there is a sense that people are either unconvinced by his fitness or his potential to reach that next level.
"It's not been a great time at Juventus for him. He's not met expectations. Although he's been really good at various points, he was sort of saying it wouldn't take a huge pay cut to go back to Juventus.
"They moved on, they went and signed Randal Kolo Muani, that's almost ruled out him going back there on a cut-price deal.
"So he's been left with what he's left with, which is probably Besiktas. But if I was a Premier League team, not necessarily Newcastle, by the way, I wonder if he'd be a decent signing for Chelsea.
"To be honest, I know they've been interested before, but if they could get him for half what he was earning at Juventus... he was earning a fortune at Juventus last season on a sort of short-term deal.
"I would think that's probably quite a good deal all around. Clearly they don't feel the same, but I think he would be a very palatable gamble for a Premier League team because at his best he's really good."
Xabi Alonso watches on as Chelsea manager during pre-season4
Chelsea didn't look at Vlahovic again this summer despite holding previous interest
What went wrong?
Vlahovic finished his Juventus career with a ratio of over one goal every three games, ending with 68 goals from 168 appearances.
He did suffer from injuries, with abductor problems the main issues across his time in Turin.
In total, he missed nearly a year of action during his spell with the Italian giants.
Vlahovic has also been with Juventus during a lean period for the club.
They won one Coppa Italia in the 2023/24 campaign and nothing else while he was there.
Chelsea's attacking options
Chelsea currently have four strikers on the books ahead of the new season, which they start off against Fulham, live on talkSPORT.
Dusan Vlahovic holds up the Coppa Italia trophy after winning it with Juventus in the 2023/24 season4
Vlahovic still has time to recover his career, but he won't be in a top European league
Joao Pedro is expected to be the main man leading the line for Xabi Alonso's side. The Brazilian has been in great form in pre-season.
Danny Welbeck has joined from Brighton for a minimal fee having scored 13 goals in the Premier League last term and will bring experience to the forward line.
Then there is the returning Nicolas Jackson, who spent last season on loan with Bayern Munich. The German champions opted against signing him permanently, though.
The Senegalese international has been linked with a move away to reunite with former Villarreal boss Unai Emery at Aston Villa, but he could stay and has looked sharp in pre-season.
Liam Delap is set to head into his second season with the Blues despite scoring just one goal in the Premier League during his first campaign.
He has been told he can leave the club this summer in search for more game time.