How Juventus beat Chelsea to sign Kerim Alajbegovic | OneFootball

Kerim Alajbegovic was one of the most sought-after players in Europe during the summer, as the teenager was superb at RB Salzburg, and Bayer Leverkusen re-signed him using the buy-back clause in his deal.

However, it was not because the Germans wanted him to stay, as they already knew there was a market for him and wanted to cash in.

The top clubs on the continent wanted to add him to their squads, but the Bianconeri won the race for his signature, and it was not an easy race to win.

Chelsea were the other club with the strongest interest in him, but the Bianconeri managed to convince him, and they received some help from Miralem Pjanic, who spoke to the Bosnian to convince him to choose the Old Lady.

He now plays for Juventus and is trying to find his most consistent form so he can deliver top performances for the Bianconeri when the chance comes for him to shine.

Juventus explain Alajbegovic deal

Juventus CEO Giovanni Carnevali has now spoken about winning the race for his signature. He said via Tuttojuve:

“He arrived for the right price. Players like him are the ones we should focus on, players who could be worth up to eighty million in the future. We followed him closely and finally managed to get him, but players like him are difficult to acquire from an Italian club. We also risked losing him. If we hadn’t come up with something, we would have lost him in the end because Chelsea arrived with a much higher offer. We risked suffering the same fate as Inter with Palestra. Unfortunately, we’re not competitive in the Champions League market.”

(Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Bianconeri face transfer competition

Carnevali’s comments highlight the competition Juventus faced to secure the teenager. Chelsea’s stronger offer meant the Bianconeri had to act to avoid losing him, while Pjanic also played a role in convincing the player to choose Juventus.

Alajbegovic is now focused on establishing himself at the club and finding the consistency required to make an impact when opportunities arrive.

Juventus will hope the teenager can fulfil his potential and develop into an important player for the club. His arrival reflects the club’s interest in young talents who could become valuable players in the future.