Chelsea line up move for £86m striker as Pochettino eyes Jackson cover; Atletico, PSG pose threat

Chelsea are reportedly ‘plotting a move’ for Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic as Mauricio Pochettino looks to bolster his striker options this month. 

Nicolas Jackson has struggled to climatise to the Premier League, while fellow Blues forward Armando Broja is yet to make any real impact since recovering from a serious injury.

Christopher Nkunku has recently returned to the squad after overcoming his own injury woes, but will also need time to get up to speed with English football.

Pochettino has revealed in recent press conferences that Chelsea could bring in a new striker this window.

Jackson is also set to play in the Africa Cup of Nations for Senegal when the competition starts in a couple of weeks, which has only increased the Blues’ need for reinforcements.

It’s no secret that the manager’s top target is Napoli goal machine Victor Osimhen, although it’s unlikely the Londoners will be able to fund a mid-season deal for him.

As a result, Chelsea are now considering a move for Vlahovic, who has been in fine form for Juventus this season.

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Chelsea remain interested in Vlahovic

As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Tottenham and Arsenal have both considered making a move for Vlahovic, but recent reports suggest that Chelsea are now the most interested party.

According to reports from Spain, as cited by Football Transfers, Chelsea have a ‘long-standing interest’ in the Serbia international and are ‘plotting a winter move.’

It’s claimed that the Blues were even considering an offer for Vlahovic last summer but were put off by Juve’s high asking price.

Chelsea are ‘still showing a keen interest’ in the striker but face competition, with Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also in the race.

Juve are struggling financially at the moment so may need to sell some key players this month.

However, it’s thought they will still demand a fee of around £86m for a mid-season sale of Vlahovic, who is under contract until 2026.

The Serb has scored six goals and made two assists in 16 Serie A appearances this season.

If he could find his best form for Chelsea in the Premier League, he could be the perfect man to drag them up the league table in the second half of the season.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if Chelsea do make a concrete offer for Vlahovic in the coming weeks, as the report suggests.

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