Summary

Chelsea's pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic has not been "abandoned" this summer, and the Serbian remains the "ideal" striker for the club, but Juventus' asking price is more than the Blues are willing to pay at the moment, claims Italian journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Dusan Vlahovic joining Chelsea this summer?

Chelsea are incredibly thin in the striker department after selling a swath of first-team players over the last month or so.The team have a vast array of attacking talent, with the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, and Noni Madueke, but none of these players would be classed as a traditional number nine and will all likely compete for starting spots on the wings.Armando Broja, Romelu Lukaku and the recently signed Nicolas Jackson are the only out-and-out strikers left at the club. However, with the Belgian likely to depart this summer after his relationship with the club deteriorated beyond repair and Jackson being incredibly raw, signing another number nine has become necessary.

The name that has been touted for a move to West London all summer has been Juventus' forward Vlahovic, and with the revelation that Mauricio Pochettino wants to make a 'big splash' in the market by signing a striker, it's a move that would make sense.That said, even with the manager wanting to make a big splash, the reported €80m (£69) fee has slowed negotiations as Chelsea consider it to be too much.

What has Galetti said about Dusan Vlahovic and Chelsea?

Galetti was quick to point out that the Serbian remains Chelsea's ideal striker this summer but that the fee demanded by Juventus is deemed too high and that any deal for the player could take some time if the Turin club allow it to.Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "So, Vlahovic is not an abandoned option. On the contrary, he's the ideal, as I've told some times, the profile requested by Pochettino. "However, I'm told, Juventus' asking price is considered too high and Chelsea want to take their time if the competition allows that, to negotiate the demands with Juventus."

Should Cheslea sign Dusan Vlahovic?

Despite the Serbian's reputation, there is a reason that the Turin side would be happy to sell him for close to the £67m they paid for his signature in January 2022.The 23-year-old has had a tough time at the Bianconeri since making the switch from Fiorentina, scoring just 17 goals for the Old Lady in 42 Serie A appearances compared to his 44 goals in 98 league games for I Viola.His underlying numbers are also worryingly poor for a player who is supposed to be leading the line for Italy's biggest club and should be a warning sign for Chelsea's recruitment staff.According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the 6 foot 3 titan sits in the top 24% for total shots, the top 28% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 39% for pass completion, the top 44% for assists, and only the top 47% for non-penalty goals, all per 90.

Interestingly, of the 44 Serie A goals he scored for Fiorentina, 12 of them were penalties and while that is undoubtedly still a skill if over a quarter of a striker's goals come from the spot, then that can seriously inflate their goal statistics and present a false image of a players attributes.Ultimately, while Vlahovic is a good player, he might not be a great one, and for the price Chelsea are being quoted for him and their aspirations to reach the top of English football again, it might be best for the club to move on from this deal.