Chelsea have reportedly made a formal bid for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.
The Blues have endured their worst campaign for three decades, currently sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table and missing out on European qualification for 2023-24.
Chelsea are due to announce Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach in the near future, and the Argentine's first task will be to oversee a wide array of departures.
The West Londoners must substantially reduce their wage bill and raise funds through player sales in order to boost their position with FFP.
Nevertheless, it has been claimed that Pochettino will still be able to make a number of his own additions, including signing a new striker.
© Reuters
Chelsea currently possess the fourth-worst attacking record in the top flight and acquiring a new senior frontman is regarded as high priority.
According to ESPN, sources have told journalist Julien Laurens that Chelsea have already made an offer for Vlahovic.
The report suggests that Chelsea's owners are willing to pay €80m (£69.5m) to get a deal for the Serbia international over the line.
That is marginally less than the €81.6m that Juventus shelled out as recently as January 2022, but it may be enough to convince the Italian giants to cash in one of their most prized assets.
© Reuters
Vlahovic is said to be unsettled at the Italian giants, while Juventus may be open to boosting their position with FFP if the money can be re-invested on a cheaper alternative.
The 23-year-old has enjoyed an indifferent campaign in front of goal, scoring 14 times from 31 starts and eight substitute outings in Serie A and European matches.
Although Juventus are on course to qualify for next season's Champions League, Vlahovic may jump at an opportunity to move to the Premier League having been frequently linked with other clubs.
As well as Arsenal being credited with an interest in the past, the likes of Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid are also said to be monitoring the situation.
Darren Plant
