Chelsea could be set to make yet another change in their striker department ahead of Xabi Alonso’s first season at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea could be set to grant Xabi Alonso his wish to bolster their striking arsenal with the acquisition of Dusan Vlahovic.
The Juventus star is expected to depart the Serie A giants this summer as a free agent after failing to come to an agreement on a new contract, according to Sky Sports Italia. Reports in Italy also claim Alonso, who is preparing for his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, has his focus set on the striker given the Blues are lacking in that department.
Their lack of threat in front of goal was among the issues that resulted in their dire 10th-place finish in the Premier League this season. While Joao Pedro enjoyed an impressive debut season with 20 goals across all competitions, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu combined for just four goals in 54 appearances.
With Emmanuel Emegha set to arrive in west London this summer from Strasbourg, a reshuffle of Chelsea’s striker options looks to be a point of importance for the ex-Real Madrid boss.
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Vlahovic hasn’t exactly set the world alight since his £66million move to Juventus in 2022. But he’s still managed to score 68 goals in 168 games for the Turin side.
At 26, it’s fair to say his best years remain ahead of him. Another aspect of the deal that makes it all the more attractive for the Blues is that they won’t need to fork out a transfer fee for the impending free agent – a brutal blow for Juve given their sizeable investment in him.
Not having to set aside a hefty figure for the Serbia international – who has scored 136 career goals for club and country – means Alonso will be able to divert funds to target other areas of the squad. The Athletic reports that the Spaniard is close to securing his first signing as Blues boss with Atalanta wing-back Marco Palestra close to agreeing a deal to join Chelsea.
The Premier League morphed into a more physical league this season with more importance placed on set-pieces, which would play into Vlahovic’s strengths as an agile target man.
His 6’3″ frame means he’ll prove to be a handful and his ability to turn and dribble at defenders, on top of his eye for an elite finish, could see Alonso boast the prototypical striker for today’s Premier League.
