Atalanta ‘far from securing’ Alajbegovic as other Serie A clubs circle | OneFootball

Atalanta are said to be far from securing Bosnian prospect Alajbegovic. Kicker reports that an agreement once deemed imminent between the Italians and Bayer Leverkusen is now considered highly unlikely.

The main obstacle is financial. It is thought unlikely that any Serie A club will match the kind of fee Leverkusen could command from a Premier League side.

Atalanta also face domestic competition. Napoli, and reportedly AC Milan, are pursuing Alajbegovic, giving Leverkusen little reason to soften their stance.

Pricing is delicate on and off the pitch. In Italy, a guaranteed €30 million is viewed as steep, yet among Leverkusen supporters a figure below €30 million would likely be seen less as smart business and more as the wrong sporting message, particularly with the 18-year-old viewed by many as a possible Florian Wirtz successor.

Keeping the teenager could further entrench Leverkusen’s reputation for developing elite talent, as with Wirtz and Kai Havertz, and could turn Alajbegovic into a role model for young players. A departure could also have longer-term implications for how the club are regarded by emerging talents.

Source: BuLi News