Juventus and Chelsea are reportedly considering the prospect of a straight swap deal involving underperforming star forwards Dusan Vlahovic and Kai Havertz.
Chelsea have registered their interest in defeating Arsenal for another of their top targets, Juventus’s wantaway striker Dusan Vlahovic, after just breaking the bank to capture Ukrainian phenom Mykhaylo Mudryk. That is according to CalcioMercatoWeb, who say Juventus have slapped a steep asking price of around €100 million for their Serbian hitman.
But both clubs have also explored an alternative route to facilitate the move, with a potential direct swap deal also being discussed that involves Kai Havertz, who is the subject of interest from Juventus, heading the other way to Turin in the near future.
The Bianconeri feel Havertz’s age profile, style of play, and position are identical to that of Vlahovic. So he would be a ready-made replacement without them having to spend anything, and would not mind Chelsea including the German forward in their bid.
The Chelsea spending spree knows no limits. After spending €282 million in total on new players during the summer of 2022, the Blues have already acquired five new players for a combined sum of over €160 million during the current winter transfer window.
What’s more, Todd Boehly and co. have no plans of slowing down either. A striker could now be a priority for Chelsea, especially with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz struggling to find consistent form this season.
They have been unable to get the best from Havertz since his big-money arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. The winning goal in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City was a remarkable highlight during his stint at the club. But 29 goals from 118 appearances suggest he has been unable to deliver the goods consistently.
He has been unable to find a place within the team’s system that plays to his strengths, having operated as a false nine, an attacking midfielder, and on both wings in a 3-4-3 and a 4-3-3, with no position seeming to get the best out of his unique skillset.
Havertz has a contract until June 2026 with the Blues and has been rumoured to leave after falling out of favour under new boss Graham Potter, with Chelsea seeking a clear-out in the forward department to make room for a new forward option.
Havertz, though, is not the first to struggle in a central role at Chelsea over the last few years. Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku, and Aubameyang have all looked like shadows of their former selves in that position. That said, all of the aforementioned players are not your natural, line-leading number-nines like Vlahovic. So the Juventus striker could be what they need in the attack.
The Serbian striker has been in fine form since joining the Old Lady from Fiorentina last January, having netted 16 goals and registered four assists in 36 appearances in all competitions.
Although the young forward has performed satisfactorily on the field, fitness problems and a sour relationship with head coach Massimiliano Allegri have led to rumours that the 22-year-old is pushing for another transfer just 12 months later. Juventus are also said to be under pressure to make a big sale in 2023 to balance their books.
In theory, a swap deal works for all parties involved. But such moves very rarely materialise and, more often than not, these reports have no substance to them.
Juventus and Chelsea are reportedly considering the prospect of a straight swap deal involving underperforming star forwards Dusan Vlahovic and Kai Havertz.
Chelsea have registered their interest in defeating Arsenal for another of their top targets, Juventus’s wantaway striker Dusan Vlahovic, after just breaking the bank to capture Ukrainian phenom Mykhaylo Mudryk. That is according to CalcioMercatoWeb, who say Juventus have slapped a steep asking price of around €100 million for their Serbian hitman.
But both clubs have also explored an alternative route to facilitate the move, with a potential direct swap deal also being discussed that involves Kai Havertz, who is the subject of interest from Juventus, heading the other way to Turin in the near future.
The Bianconeri feel Havertz’s age profile, style of play, and position are identical to that of Vlahovic. So he would be a ready-made replacement without them having to spend anything, and would not mind Chelsea including the German forward in their bid.
The Chelsea spending spree knows no limits. After spending €282 million in total on new players during the summer of 2022, the Blues have already acquired five new players for a combined sum of over €160 million during the current winter transfer window.
What’s more, Todd Boehly and co. have no plans of slowing down either. A striker could now be a priority for Chelsea, especially with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz struggling to find consistent form this season.
They have been unable to get the best from Havertz since his big-money arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. The winning goal in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City was a remarkable highlight during his stint at the club. But 29 goals from 118 appearances suggest he has been unable to deliver the goods consistently.
He has been unable to find a place within the team’s system that plays to his strengths, having operated as a false nine, an attacking midfielder, and on both wings in a 3-4-3 and a 4-3-3, with no position seeming to get the best out of his unique skillset.
Havertz has a contract until June 2026 with the Blues and has been rumoured to leave after falling out of favour under new boss Graham Potter, with Chelsea seeking a clear-out in the forward department to make room for a new forward option.
Havertz, though, is not the first to struggle in a central role at Chelsea over the last few years. Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku, and Aubameyang have all looked like shadows of their former selves in that position. That said, all of the aforementioned players are not your natural, line-leading number-nines like Vlahovic. So the Juventus striker could be what they need in the attack.
The Serbian striker has been in fine form since joining the Old Lady from Fiorentina last January, having netted 16 goals and registered four assists in 36 appearances in all competitions.
Although the young forward has performed satisfactorily on the field, fitness problems and a sour relationship with head coach Massimiliano Allegri have led to rumours that the 22-year-old is pushing for another transfer just 12 months later. Juventus are also said to be under pressure to make a big sale in 2023 to balance their books.
In theory, a swap deal works for all parties involved. But such moves very rarely materialise and, more often than not, these reports have no substance to them.