Chelsea are reportedly in advanced negotiations to sign Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of €35 million (£30m), according to The Telegraph. The Blues are currently favoured to secure the 18-year-old’s signature, beating out competition from Serie A side Juventus.
Alajbegovic recently impressed during the World Cup, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina and scoring in a 3-1 group-stage victory against Qatar. His performances helped Bosnia reach the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in their history, before they were eliminated by the United States in the last 32. The match was notable for a controversial decision by FIFA to suspend a red card issued to Folarin Balogun.
The potential move to Chelsea would see Alajbegovic reunite with manager Xabi Alonso, who previously oversaw the winger’s development within Leverkusen’s youth system between 2022 and 2025, although the player never made a senior appearance under the Spaniard. Alonso is reportedly enthusiastic about the prospect of working with Alajbegovic at Stamford Bridge.
Born in Germany to Bosnian parents, Alajbegovic spent eight years in the youth academy of Cologne before joining Leverkusen in 2021. He then moved to Red Bull Salzburg in July 2025, where he scored 13 goals last season, prompting Leverkusen to trigger a return clause in March. Alajbegovic has yet to make a senior appearance for Leverkusen.
Chelsea have been active in the transfer window, recently completing a club-record €138 million (£117m) deal for Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa and signing Marco Palestra from Atalanta for €55 million (£47m). The club has also reportedly seen a €75 million (£64m) bid for Alex Scott rejected by Bournemouth. These acquisitions have been funded by the sales of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid, Andrey Santos to Manchester United, and Tyrique George to Everton. The arrival of Alajbegovic would further bolster Alonso’s attacking options as he begins his first full season in charge. The move could also be seen as a replacement for Alejandro Garnacho, who is widely reported to be joining Aston Villa on loan with an obligation to buy.
