Should Chelsea sign Kerim Alajbegovic this summer? | OneFootball

The Xabi Alonso era is underway as Absolute Chelsea previews the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia. Video Credit: Absolute Chelsea

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen star teenager Kerim Alajbegovic, according to reports.

Alajbegovic caught a lot of attention for a stellar season at RB Salzburg last season.

The 18-year-old ended his campaign with 13 goals and four assists from 44 appearances across all competitions for the Austrian side.

It came as no surprise when Leverkusen decided to activate the buy-back clause for the young winger in March for a reported €4 million after selling him for €2m (£1.7m) the previous summer.

They did not even wait for the season to make the decision.

“Alajbegovic has not only fulfilled the high expectations placed in him in Salzburg; he has even exceeded them in a very short space of time,” said Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes about the transfer.

Leverkusen planned to integrate Alajbegovic into their senior squad this season and expected him to play a part in the club’s future.

Alajbegovic scores for Bosnia and Herzegovina against Qatar at the 2026 World Cup. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Alajbegovic’s involvement in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 2026 World Cup campaign put his talent under a brighter spotlight.

The young winger helped his country qualify to the knockout stage by scoring his first World Cup goal in a 3-1 win over Qatar in the group stage. He also started in three of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s four games in the competition.

According to the Daily Telegraph, several Italian clubs, including Juventus, Atalanta, and Fiorentina, were the first to show interest in Alajbegovic.

Chelsea, however, are said to have entered the race and are currently the favourites to sign the £30m-rated attacker.

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is suggested to be “enthusiastic” about the potential transfer.

What makes Alajbegovic so highly sought-after?

Like many young attackers these days, Alajbegovic is very versatile.

He is primarily a left winger, but is capable of playing on the right and as a number 10.

However, his being ambidextrous with his feet sets him apart from other similarly versatile attackers.

He also has an unusual frame for a winger, standing at 186cm (6ft1in). The higher centre of gravity usually poses a problem for wingers, but it does not seem to affect his ability to beat his defender.

Unlike Chelsea’s new signing Morgan Rogers, who is naturally a number 10 who likes to drift wide to the left, Alajbegovic is more of an inside forward who likes to cut inside onto his right foot.

Chelsea, of course, already have a player with similar characteristics in Jamie Gittens, albeit less of a volume shooter than Alajbegovic.

There is also the question of whether Chelsea have the space for another winger in their squad.

The club recently confirmed Alejandro Garnacho’s departure to Aston Villa, but they still have both Rogers and Gittens, who would be vying for the left winger position.