‘Desperate’ Chelsea get serious about third striker target of his kind as summer hope grows
Chelsea have identified a third striker target following a certain theme after a report revealed they are “desperate” to bring in a centre-forward this summer.
No Chelsea striker has scored above 20 Premier League goals in a single season since 2016-17. Therefore, they are looking to end their search for a reliable frontman once and for all. They have spent heavily in recent transfer windows, so might be willing to make a big bid for someone who can meet their needs up front.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are “desperate” to sign a striker in the summer. With that in mind, they have already been looking at two options from Serie A.
Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen is someone they admire, while they could alternatively bring back Tammy Abraham from Roma.
But Football Insider says there is a third Serie A striker on Chelsea’s radar: Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
The website claims there is a chance Juventus could have to cash in on Vlahovic in the summer amid some financial concerns. In turn, Chelsea will be on alert as one of the contenders to sign him.
Their information aligns with what TEAMtalk was told last month, when Ben Jacobs said in an exclusive to “keep an eye on Chelsea” in the race for Vlahovic.
Vlahovic is under contract at Juventus until 2026. Therefore, they might be able to command a high asking price for him, especially if he keeps up his current scoring rate. The Serbia international has netted 10 times from 23 appearances this season.
But he might be slightly more affordable than Osimhen, for one. Besides, there could be more competition for the Napoli man, who is also on Man Utd’s radar, for example. Hence, Chelsea could think about Vlahovic as a genuine alternative.
The former Fiorentina star has never played in the Premier League before, like Osimhen. However, he could have the traits to succeed in English football.
Can Vlahovic be the answer for Chelsea?
Chelsea would have to be confident he could meet the required standards. Several other strikers they have signed have been prolific elsewhere before struggling to replicate such form at Stamford Bridge.
But at the age of 23, Vlahovic has potential to develop over the next few years. If given time, he might be the answer to one of Chelsea’s most critical dilemmas.
They are clearly keeping their options open ahead of the summer transfer window, when they will next get the chance to address their main areas of need.
Vlahovic is certainly worth keeping in mind. Chelsea will have to act decisively if any rivals launch their own attempts to sign him, such as Arsenal.
The Blues beat their cross-London rivals to the signature of winger Mykhaylo Mudryk during January. Perhaps they will have to stay ahead of Arsenal when it comes to Vlahovic, too.
But they certainly have the financial power to be able to do so, if they decide any demands Juventus set are reasonable.
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