Summary Chelsea and Juventus are discussing a potential swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku and Dusan Vlahovic, with a fee for Juventus also included. Talks are progressing and the deal could be completed soon. PSG's shift in focus from Vlahovic to other targets has prompted Juventus to return to Chelsea with the swap deal proposal. Chelsea is intrigued by the possibility, but the deal will depend on Vlahovic's wages aligning with the club's wage structure. This swap deal could be a smart move for Chelsea, as Lukaku appears to have no future at the club and has been training alone. Vlahovic is highly regarded and has impressive goal contributions, making him an attractive addition to Chelsea's attack.
Chelsea and Juventus are in talks regarding a potential swap deal between Romelu Lukaku and Dusan Vlahovic, according to Fabrizio Romano
The deal would also include a fee for Juventus.
What is the latest news on this swap deal?
This potential deal is gathering pace, and could be completed soon.
This is due to PSG reportedly moving their focus from signing the Serbian, and instead targeting French duo Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt and Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona.
Due to this, Juventus have returned to Chelsea and suggested a potential swap deal including a fee for the Serbian, with the Blues intrigued by the possibility. It is reported that the fee required from Chelsea would be between £21.5m and £38.5m, however, the deal will only be on should Vlahovic's wages become less of a stumbling block, and more in line with the club's restructured wage bill.
Lukaku was linked (via Football Italia) with a potential return back to Inter Milan on a permanent basis this summer, just two years removed from his £97.5m transfer back to the London club, however the Nerrazzuri pulled out of talks with the striker following the revelation that he held talks with Juventus regarding a move just before the Champions League final.
Both players had somewhat disappointing campaigns last season that were blighted by fitness issues, with the Serbian managing just 14 goals and four assists in 42 games for the "Old Lady", with the forward missing 13 games due to multiple injuries. It was a similar story with Lukaku, who managed just 14 goals and seven assists across 37 games in all competitions for Inter Milan as the club made the Champions League final where they ultimately fell to defeat against Manchester City. The Chelsea loanee missed 18 games last campaign, with 14 coming at the start of the season due to a major hamstring injury.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that talks are on regarding a potential swap deal between the two players:
"We also have to mention what is going on between Chelsea and Juventus because on Monday through intermediaries Chelsea and Juventus had a new round of talks and in these discussions Juventus are insisting to include Dusan Vlahovic as a part of the negotiations for Romelu Lukaku.
"One month ago Chelsea said no to Vlahovic. It was very clear no because they don’t like the player, but there is someone on the Chelsea board who really appreciates the player."
Is the swap deal a good move by Chelsea?
The swap deal could be a really smart move from Chelsea
Lukaku seemingly doesn't have a future at Chelsea, having been training alone at Chelsea since returning, and being omitted from the Blues pre-season tour to the US. Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he is open to bringing in another striker despite the signings of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson:
"I am so happy with both and we have younger players like Mason [Burstow] today and [Armando] Broja in the UK recovering from his procedure. We need to analyze now in the next weeks until the transfer window closes. We will take the best decision for the team."
This deal represents a chance for the club to get rid of a player who doesn't want to be at the club and get the chance to bring in a player who Micah Richards described as:
"Lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”
Vlahovic was regarded as one of the best talents on the planet a couple of years ago, and made a £66.6m switch to Juventus. During the 2021/22 season, the Serbian managed to record 35 goal contributions in 45 games, showcasing the quality that he possesses. His six assists also suggest that his holdup and linkup play are strong, which could give Pochettino a different dynamic in his attack.
