Juventus have reportedly slapped a €80 million price tag on star striker Dusan Vlahovic amid interest from Chelsea and Real Madrid.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Dusan Vlahovic has been a subject of interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea for some time now as the two outfits remain on the lookout for a new No. 9 ahead of the next season. And both suitors have now been told what price they will have to pay if they want to secure the services of the Serbian hitman this summer.
Although they managed to avoid direct relegation from the top division with a ten-point deduction for false accounting, Juventus have suffered significant financial setbacks due to the absence of UEFA Champions League revenue.
As a result, the Serie A club are compelled to part ways with some stars from their existing squad. And they have already let go of the likes of Angel Di Maria, Dejan Kulusevski, and Juan Cuadrado, among others.
However, while the wage bill has been relieved by the aforementioned departures, no major money has been recouped. There is an increasing likelihood that Massimiliano Allegri’s side will have to bid farewell to a high-profile star, with the club highly inclined to consider the proposal for any of Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa, or Gleison Bremer.
Vlahovic, for one, scored 14 goals in 42 games for Juventus last season. A record of one in three is respectable. But he has struggled to impact games on the pitch and simply looks like an odd fit in Allegri’s system. So Juventus are keen to move on the 23-year-old this summer. And recent reports have suggested the Bianconeri will hold out for a similar fee to the one they spent to land him from Fiorentina in the first place.
However, Fichajes claims the Italian outfit will give the green light to his exit as long as a club is willing to offer a minimum of €80 million that would help them recover most of the initial investment in the player. Both Chelsea and Real Madrid have set their sights on the Juventus striker and are keeping tabs on the player’s situation.
Chelsea have already added firepower to their attack with the signings of strikers Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. But Mauricio Pochettino is desperate for an elite forward to lead the line. Victor Osimhen has long been reported to be their top target and checks all the boxes.
However, the Nigerian international will likely snub a move to Stamford Bridge this summer due to the lack of Champions League football. Vlahovic could thus be an excellent alternative option.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, might need an elite centre-forward to replace Karim Benzema despite the stop-gap addition of Joselu. Kylian Mbappe is the favourite and most preferred option for Florentino Perez. However, with that operation likely to be postponed to next season, Los Blancos could reportedly look into the possibility of bringing Vlahovic to the club.
Meanwhile, a recent report revealed Real Madrid already have an agreement to sign the 23-year-old. With Chelsea also planning to go big on a striker signing after recouping sizable funds from player sales this season, it will be interesting to see where Vlahovic be plying his trade next season.
