{"id":17965,"date":"2026-07-16T15:08:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T15:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=17965"},"modified":"2026-07-16T15:08:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T15:08:53","slug":"dusan-vlahovic-tops-chelsea-striker-shortlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=17965","title":{"rendered":"Dusan Vlahovic tops Chelsea striker shortlist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-main\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--post-header--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"post-excerpt left\"><\/p>\n<p>Dusan Vlahovic is back on Chelsea\u2019s priority list for the upcoming season as one of the leading strikers<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-feat-img\" class=\"left relative\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-47.webp\" class=\"attachment- size- wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-47.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-47-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-47-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-47.webp\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"1200\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"675\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--post-feat-img--><\/p>\n<section class=\"social-sharing-top\">\n<p><span class=\"fb-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-facebook-f\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Dusan Vlahovic tops Chelsea striker shortlist -&amp;url=https:\/\/sixsports.in\/dusan-vlahovic-tops-chelsea-striker-shortlist\/', 'twitterShare', 'width=626,height=436'); return false;\" title=\"Share This Post\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"twitter-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-x-twitter\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"whatsapp-but1\"><i class=\"fa fa-whatsapp fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"pinterest-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-pinterest-p\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"email-but\"><i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Email<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--social-sharing-top--><\/p>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-card\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-top\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-logo\">\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/chelsea_fc_logo-1.avif\" alt=\"CHELSEA\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-description\">\n<p>            Chelsea is one of England\u2019s premier football clubs, competing in the Premier League and European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. Known for its strong squad, tactical versatility, and competitive history, Chelsea has won multiple league titles, domestic cups,\u2026            <a class=\"sx-entity-readmore\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/team\/chelsea\/\"><br \/>\n                Read More about CHELSEA\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dusan Vlahovic is back on Chelsea\u2019s priority list. The Blues have renewed their interest in the Juventus striker for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-chelsea-renew-interest-in-vlahovic\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chelsea renew interest in Vlahovic<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 26-year-old Vlahovic is now one of the top strikers on Chelsea\u2019s wish list. As reported by CaughtOffside, Vlahovic is now a serious striker target for the Blues. They have held discussions with the Serbian striker\u2019s representatives.<\/p>\n<p>If they secure a good deal, Vlahovic could be one of the main strikers for <strong>Chelsea <\/strong>in the upcoming season. He previously played for Juventus from 2022 to 2026. Before that, he played for Fiorentina from 2018 to 2022. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dusan Vlahovic\u2019s stats for the 2025-26 season, as per FOTMOB<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Competitions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Matches<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Goals<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Assists<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Serie A<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">19<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">7<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>UEFA Champions League<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">4<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Club World Cup 2025<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">2<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-will-vlahovic-be-a-good-fit-at-chelsea\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will Vlahovic be a good fit at Chelsea?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vlahovic may not be perfect, but he is well experienced. The 26-year-old can be a bonus for Chelsea\u2019s attacking lineup ahead of the 2026-27 season. Apart from that, the Serbian striker needs to match the expectations of the current manager, Xabi Alonso. Alonso was recruited as the team manager for the upcoming 2026-27 season.<br \/>Vlahovic is not the only striker on the Blues\u2019 wishlist. The West London club are also pursuing players like Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, Julian Alvarez, and Ollie Watkins among others. However, the Villans look forward to retaining Watkins for the next season.<\/p>\n<p>If Vlahovic agrees to join Chelsea, he can replace Liam Delap as one of the team\u2019s main strikers. Delap joined the Blues last year from Ipswich Town. However, he couldn\u2019t make a good impression, particularly at the Premier League. However, he couldn\u2019t make a good impression, particularly at the <strong>Premier League<\/strong>. The Blues finished on 10th place in the League table. That\u2019s why the Blues are looking forward to secure Dusan Vlahovic for the next season.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" alt=\"Chelsea transfer news - Dusan Vlahovic\" class=\"wp-image-202699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52-768x432.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52.webp\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52.webp\" alt=\"Chelsea transfer news - Dusan Vlahovic\" class=\"wp-image-202699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-52-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-s-next-for-dusan-vlahovic\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s next for Dusan Vlahovic? <\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vlahovic is currently preparing for the next season. Before that, the Serbian striker needs to work on his fitness. He suffered from multiple injuries since last year. He had to undergo surgery for a severe tendon avulsion. This kept him out of action from December to March. He also got a calf injury in March. Vlahovic needs to keep himself free from injuries if he wants to make it big in European club football. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea are undergoing a massive transformation. Since the past few years, the club has experienced a roller-coaster ride. Sometimes they start well, but lose focus midway. In other cases, they start off on the wrong note, but make up for the same in the other half of the <strong>football <\/strong>season. Apart from the inconsistencies in the team, the management has also been unstable for the past few months. In just five months, three managers joined and left Chelsea. With the entry of Xabi Alonso, the Blues are hopeful that things might change for the better. After all, he helped the Real Madrid finish second in La Liga last year. He can do the same for Chelsea if given a chance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It won\u2019t be easy for Chelsea to secure Dusan Vlahovic. Despite leaving Juventus, several clubs have expressed their interest in the Serbian striker. However, if the Blues have a solid plan in mind for Vlahovic, he could help in bringing the club back to winning ways. It will be interesting to see if he is equally interested in joining the West London club. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>READ MORE: Jonathan Rowe emerges in Chelsea\u2019s surprise transfer plans<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ALSO READ: Geovany Quenda joins Chelsea as \u00a340m transfer confirmed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>READ NEXT: Maxence Lacroix deal awaits Crystal Palace move<br \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"after-article-links\" style=\"margin-top:20px; font-size:14px;\">Follow the latest updates from <strong>Premier League<\/strong>, <strong>The League<\/strong> and<br \/>\n        <strong>Champions League<\/strong>or explore more<br \/>\n        <strong>Football<\/strong> stories, <strong>Football Teams<\/strong> &#038; <strong>All Football Competitions<\/strong> . Follow more updates on CHELSEA. You can also check <strong>Latest Sports News<\/strong> or visit <strong>Six Sports<\/strong> for more Football updates.<\/div>\n<div class=\"fe-author-box\">\n<div class=\"fe-author-avatar\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/de43a324d2603b79d1fdd779d07ba0f8eeaa27d49e980e1e893e8d059d336b99?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/de43a324d2603b79d1fdd779d07ba0f8eeaa27d49e980e1e893e8d059d336b99?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/de43a324d2603b79d1fdd779d07ba0f8eeaa27d49e980e1e893e8d059d336b99?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/de43a324d2603b79d1fdd779d07ba0f8eeaa27d49e980e1e893e8d059d336b99?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\"\/>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mvp-org-wrap\" itemprop=\"publisher\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\">\n<div class=\"mvp-org-logo\" itemprop=\"logo\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png.webp\" class=\"ewww_webp_lazy_load\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-logo--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Six Sports\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-wrap--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--posts-nav-link--><\/p>\n<div class=\"mentioned-article-block\">\n<h3 class=\"mentioned-title\">Mentioned in this Article<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-button--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-->\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dusan Vlahovic is back on Chelsea\u2019s priority list for the upcoming season as one of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17965"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17965\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}