Chelsea might have found a clever way to boost their pursuit of Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic after Nicolas Jackson’s red card against Flamengo in the Club World Cup.
Jackson, who joined Chelsea from Villarreal for £30 million, was sent off just four minutes after coming on during the 2-1 loss.
His reckless challenge on Ayrton Lucas saw him earn his second red card in just four games, leaving manager Enzo Maresca visibly frustrated. Though Jackson has since apologized, questions have arisen over his future at the club.
Juventus have shown interest in signing Jackson for around £32 million. But instead of accepting a direct sale, Chelsea could turn this into an advantage.
The Blues are reportedly eyeing a swap deal involving Jackson and Vlahovic who has scored 56 goals in 144 games for the Italian side.
Vlahovic joined Juventus from Fiorentina for £70 million in 2021, but with only one year left on his contract, Juve risk losing him for free next summer.
That makes a potential deal with Chelsea more appealing, especially if it includes a replacement striker like Jackson.
Juventus are still trying to extend Vlahovic’s contract, but his reported wage demands of £200,000 a week are a sticking point.
Chelsea, with stronger financial resources and the chance to offload Jackson’s £100,000-a-week wages, may be in a better position to meet those demands.
Chelsea manager Maresca has already added forward Liam Delap to his squad, but with Christopher Nkunku likely to leave, more attacking reinforcements are needed especially with a return to the Champions League on the horizon.
While Jackson’s red card was seen as a major blow, it might end up helping Chelsea secure one of their top summer targets in what could be a smart piece of business.
