Juventus reject Chelsea's idea to include 2 players in swap deal for Dusan Vlahovic - Reports
Juventus turned down Chelsea's proposal to include Romelu Lukaku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in a swap deal for Dusan Vlahovic, according to Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Blues need to offload players to balance their books after spending €700 million in the last two transfer windows. They are, thus, in talks over the sale of players like Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic, who are wanted by Manchester United and Manchester City, respectively.
That does not mean that Chelsea are not considering ways to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2023-24 season. In fact, the London giants are keen to back new manager Mauricio Pochettino this summer.
Signing an elite striker is said to be at the top of the Blues' wishlist, as Joao Felix is set to return to Atletico Madrid at the end of his loan deal. Lukaku, whose temporary deal with Inter expires on June 30, also does not appear to have a future at Stamford Bridge. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, meanwhile, has interest from several clubs, including Barcelona.
Hence, Juventus frontman Vlahovic has emerged as a target for the Premier League giants. According to the aforementioned source, the club discussed the possibility of signing the striker during a meeting with Bianconeri sporting director Giovanni Manna in London.
Pochettino's side floated the idea of including Lukaku and Loftus-Cheek in a swap deal for Vlahovic. However, Juventus were quick to reject the proposal, citing that they're not interested in any swap deal for the striker. The Serie A giants are reportedly determined to recoup the €80 million they paid Fiorentina for the Serbia international in January 2022.
Chelsea are now expected to return with a more attractive proposal for Vlahovic. However, they face competition from Bayern Munich for the striker's signature.
Chelsea-target Dusan Vlahovic's 2022-23 season in numbers
The 2022-23 season was Dusan Vlahovic's first full campaign with Juventus. He bagged 14 goals and four assists in 42 appearances across competitions. The striker missed 13 games due to fitness issues.
Vlahovic, 23, made a bright start to the season, scoring six times in his first nine Serie A appearances. However, he managed only four goals and an assist in his remaining 17 top-flight games.
Despite the inconsistency, there's nothing to suggest that the Chelsea-target is unhappy in Turin. However, Juventus could be tempted to cash in on him to raise funds after being sanctioned for capital gain violations.
The Bianconeri were deducted ten points as punishment last month. That meant they finished seventh in Serie A, missing out on UEFA Champions League football, which has affected the club's revenue. Apart from Vlahovic, they could also sell Federico Chiesa and Gleison Bremer to balance their books.