Aston Villa have reportedly increased their interest in signing Kerim Alajbegovic, the 18-year-old Bosnian forward who recently impressed at the World Cup, though they face competition from several other clubs. Villa’s transfer team are evaluating potential additions to Unai Emery’s squad as they prepare for their return to Champions League competition in the 2026/27 season, with attacking reinforcements identified as a key priority.
Alajbegovic is currently set to return to Bayer Leverkusen on July 1st, after Red Bull Salzburg’s €8million (£6.9m / $9.2m) buy-back clause was activated. During a successful season with Salzburg, the versatile attacker scored 13 goals and provided four assists across all competitions. His valuation has since risen to between €25-30million (£25.9m / $34.6m), a figure potentially increased by his performance for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup where he scored a notable goal against Qatar.
According to Corriere della Sera, Aston Villa are actively pursuing a deal for Alajbegovic, but face competition from Serie A side Atalanta. Atalanta, under new sporting director Cristiano Guintoli, are reportedly viewing Alajbegovic as a central figure in their future plans. Newcastle United have also been mentioned as a potential destination, though a move to Villa is currently considered more likely.
TEAMtalk sources reported on June 11th that Sunderland were also monitoring the player, having secured their own qualification for European competition. While Alajbegovic has a long-term contract with Leverkusen, the Bundesliga club are understood to be open to offers should a suitable bid be received. The player himself is reportedly keen to make an impact at Leverkusen, but could be swayed by the right opportunity. His continued strong performances in the World Cup, should Bosnia progress to the knockout stages, are expected to further intensify the competition for his signature, potentially leading to a bidding war.
