Chelsea can benefit from Juventus fire sale to land TWO key players

Robin Bairner

• 1 Dec 2022 09:28 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea are in the process of a facelift under the ownership of Todd Boehly, with the club spending lavishly in the summer before having Graham Potter replace Thomas Tuchel as manager.

But the changes at Stamford Bridge will not stop there, with more cash to be splashed in January in order to make the club more competitive in the long term.

Although the Blues’ new owners clearly have significant funds to spend, they will be eyeing the situation at Juventus keenly. The Serie A club is in turmoil after the board resigned due to their part in a financial scandal, with a suggestion that they may be forced into a fire sale in January should the situation deteriorate further.

MORE: Juventus scandal: Resignations, Ronaldo and relegation?

Chelsea could benefit from this situation by plugging some key gaps in their squad.

In midfield, Adrien Rabiot is the obvious target. The France international is in fine form at the World Cup and has been enjoying a strong season overall after turning down Manchester United in the summer. Out of contract at the end of the season, he could arrive for a small fee in January should things continue to slide at Juve.

In attack, too, there is an option to Chelsea’s No.9 issue. Dusan Vlahovic may be involved in a scandal with the Serbia national team, in which he is alleged to be having an affair with the wife of goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, a report he has denied, but he remains a potent goal scorer, the type of which the Blues lack.

MORE: Why Rabiot says he was LUCKY to reject Man Utd transfer

He may not be versatile enough for Potter’s taste, but the opportunity to sign such a talented scorer should be one that is considered.

There are other upsides to signing Vlahovic, too. He fits Chelsea’s profile in terms of his age, while the prospect of stealing him away from Arsenal, who coveted him a year ago, would also be satisfying.

Federico Chiesa, meanwhile, has been subject to links with the Blues as an alternative to Christopher Nkunku, but is appears that a deal for the RB Leipzig star is all but done. This would be a surprising January move, then.

Juventus can’t answer all Chelsea’s problems

Even with two additions, Chelsea would be left looking elsewhere for players.

The goalkeeper position is perhaps one of the most contentious areas at Stamford Bridge right now, with neither Kepa nor Edouard Mendy doing enough to convince Graham Potter that they are a viable long-term option. Juventus do not have a keeper that Chelsea would be interested in.

Similarly, they are unlikely to be stirred by the defensive options at Juve, with the Turin side boasting a string of players over 30. Bremer is the exception but Chelsea appear more focused on a left-sided player.