Chelsea are in the market for a new striker this summer, with kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang expected to leave in the coming weeks
Pochettino prepares dream £68m striker deal after Chelsea book Jackson medical (Image: Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
Chelsea seem eager to follow the signing of Nicolas Jackson with the arrival of another striker. The Villarreal star has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge recently as Mauricio Pochettino hopes to further bolster his attacking options this summer.
The Blues have struggled to replace Didier Drogba over the years, with only Diego Costa and Olivier Giroud coming close to filling the Ivorian’s shoes. Several managers have experimented with the likes of Alvaro Morata, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, but neither have enjoyed much success.
So, with Chelsea in the market for a new talisman, Jackson has been eyed as a shrewd acquisition and he will reportedly undergo a medical in London as this week. However, the 21-year-old may not be the only striker who walks through the doors at Cobham training ground this summer.
According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Pochettino wants to work with Dusan Vlahovic this season and the Blues are discussing whether to make a move or not. The 23-year-old striker, who sees his contract at Juventus expire in 2026, featured 27 times for Massimiliano Allegri’s side last term, finding the net ten times.
While Vlahovic has struggled to enjoy the form which once regarded him as a top centre-forward, it’s widely believed that he has the s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 set to do well in the Premier League. However, the Serbia international’s price tag could be an issue.
Chelsea would be expected to pay at least €80million (£68m) for Vlahovic this summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. And, in order to meet the Old Lady’s asking price, the Blues are reportedly prepared to offer five players as part of a player-plus-cash swap deal.
The report states that the west Londoners have held a meeting the Juventus director, Giovanni Manna, where they expressed their willingness to include several players in a package deal. La Gazzetta dello Sport outlined Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trevoh Chalobah, Romelu Lukaku and Kalidou Koulibaly as the players in question.
After snubbing Arsenal for Juventus a couple of years ago, Vlahovic was told that he made the wrong decision to stay in the Serie A. Speaking to Bobo TV, Italian football icon Antonio Cassano said: “In my opinion [Vlahovic’s decision] is sensationally wrong.
“For the type of player, I think he is he needed to make an intermediate step to a team like Arsenal, Tottenham, or Sevilla, who signed [Anthony] Martial. For me, you know, he has always been a second-tier player.
“This is a huge step for him, playing with Fiorentina is another thing. For him, it is a very important step, but above all it’s risky. For Juve, it is not enough to do what you did at Fiorentina.
“It’s not enough to score 15 goals, 20 goals. At Juve, every match must be decisive. It’s a dangerous weight on him. He had to take the next step, but not two steps, at Juve you have to score at least 30 goals per season and you have to take home the performances and titles.
“I don’t see him as a player for Juve. He is a Serbian, a particular character, I don’t see him fitting in well with Juve’s dressing room, that’s the opinion I have.”
Soucre: football.london
