Chelsea have already had 'first contacts' with Juventus as they try to strike a deal for striker Dusan Vlahovic and both parties will hold a meeting this week to discuss matters further, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.
Is Dusan Vlahovic coming to Chelsea?
According to The Daily Mail, Chelsea have explored the merits of signing Vlahovic this summer as they target a new striker; however, his wage packet is said to be too prohibitive amid their aim to restructure 'wage tiers' at Stamford Bridge.
The Serbia international is reportedly available for around £77 million and has also been sought after by Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in the off-season.
Journalist Alfredo Pedulla has claimed that Vlahovic would prefer to join Paris Saint-Germain as opposed to swapping Juventus for Chelsea following 'dialogue' between both parties.
Chelsea are looking to offload forgotten man Romelu Lukaku and Juventus have emerged as leading contenders to sign the Belgium international after talks with his former club Inter Milan collapsed, as per Telegraph Sport.
Lukaku has returned to training at the Blues' Cobham base but will not partake in their pre-season tour out in the United States, though Juventus will only look to strike a deal if they have to sell Vlahovic.
Inter Milan have shifted their focus from Lukaku towards Arsenal frontman Folarin Balogun, who has also been linked with Chelsea in the last few weeks, as per FootballTransfers.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Galetti has revealed that talks between Vlahovic and his representatives over a move to Chelsea will take place soon.
Galetti stated: “Vlahovic could leave Juventus this summer after only one year and a half.
"We already revealed his possible move weeks ago and now that the transfer market session is getting to the heart, this option appears to be increasingly concrete with Chelsea the ones that are moving towards the Serbian player.
"The first contacts between the Blues and Juventus have already taken place in recent days: Bianconeri have confirmed that the price tag of Dusan is set at around €80 million.
"Probably too high at the moment, even if a new meeting is scheduled for Vlahovic during the week.”
Would Dusan Vlahovic be a good fit for Chelsea?
Vlahovic, who has been hailed as a "machine", is certainly a handful to contend with and would become a big asset at Chelsea if he was to move to Stamford Bridge this window.
Last term, the 23-year-old racked up decent numbers for Juventus across all competitions, registering 14 goals and four assists in 42 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.
Leading the line efficiently, Vlahovic was also able to bring others into play over the course of last term and successfully pulled off 63 shot-creating actions, according to FBRef.
As per WhoScored, the Serbia international carried a strong goal threat throughout the campaign and took on 2.5 shots per match in Serie A for his current employers.
Chelsea have already bolstered their forward line with the additions of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. Nevertheless, getting another striker through the door will be necessary for Mauricio Pochettino to achieve his aims in 2023/24.