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Chelsea are preparing to face Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (March 4) in the Premier League. Graham Potter's team are tenth in the league after 24 games.
Meanwhile, the Blues are planning to sign Dusan Vlahovic this summer. Elsewhere, the London giants have received a boost in their quest to secure the services of Luis Enrique.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on March 3, 2023:
Chelsea want Dusan Vlahovic
Chelsea have identified Dusan Vlahovic as an option to solve their striker conundrum, according to Football Insider.
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Graham Potter's team have struggled this season due to the absence of a bonafide No. 9. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has failed to live up to expectations and is likely to be offloaded this summer.
The Blues have now turned their attention to Vlahovic, who could be available this summer.
Juventus may be forced to offload the Serbian striker to address their financial woes, so the London giants are plotting to take advantage of the situation. The 23-year-old is a first-team regular at Turin and could be a fine fit at Stamford Bridge.
Vlahovic has amassed ten goals and four assists in 23 appearances across competitions for the Bianconeri this season.
Blues receive Luis Enrique boost
Chelsea have received a boost in their pursuit of Luis Enrique. The Blues are looking for a new manager following Graham Potter's recent troubles at Stamford Bridge.
Despite investing heavily in the squad, the London giants are languishing in tenth place in the standings and are in danger of missing out on a top-four finish.
Unless Potter turns things around, his time at the club could draw to a close. Enrique is among the candidates shortlisted for the role, with the Spaniard currently without a job since resigning from the national team.
In his column for Caught Offside, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said that the former Barcelona manager is keen to return to football management.
"Luis Enrique is a top coach, and it’s normal to see his name around for many jobs. At the moment, he’s not in conversation with any club yet,” wrote Romano.
He added:
“What I can say, for sure, is that Luis Enrique wants to return as soon as possible after the World Cup, and he’d love to be back at work in the next months; he doesn’t want to stop.”
Enrique enjoyed tremendous success with the Blaugrana and is among the finest managers around right now.
Jonathan Johnson provides insight on Chelsea's Malo Gusto signing
Journalist Jonathan Johnson has said that Chelsea fought off competition to sign Malo Gusto in January. The 19-year-old made a move to Stamford Bridge from Lyon and was immediately loaned back to the Ligue 1 side for the rest of the season.
In his column for Caught Offside, Johnson said Gusto could battle Reece James for a place in the starting XI.
“I definitely think Gusto has the potential to compete with James for that starting position, and it’s also important to note that it was a good time for Lyon to sell. He’s a talented young player, and it enables them to bring in a good amount of money. Gusto was reaching that point where he had to move on, particularly if Lyon, as looks highly likely, don’t qualify for Europe," wrote Johnson.
Johnson added that there were quite a few clubs interested in the Frenchman, but no one could match the Blues' offer.
“In terms of other interest in him, once it was clear Chelsea had him firmly on their radar, a few other clubs woke up, as it were, but my understanding is that they were not necessarily clubs we’re seeing in the top four at the moment but those looking to break in and be part of those established big Premier League sides," wrote Johnson.
He continued:
"There were a few others elsewhere in Europe who were interested as well but who just couldn’t reach the kind of figures Chelsea ended up paying.”
The 19-year-old has registered 18 appearances for Lyon this season across competitions, assisting once.
