Chelsea in pole position to sign Bayer Leverkusen teenager Karij Alajbegovic in £30m deal

Chelsea are closing in on a move for Bayer Leverkusen and Bosnia and Herzegovina prodigy Karij Alajbegovic in a deal that could reach £30m, according to reports in England.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder, regarded as one of the most promising young players in Europe, is understood to be the London club’s leading target for this summer’s transfer window.

The Telegraph reports that Chelsea currently lead Juventus in the race to sign Alajbegovic, who has already broken into the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team and impressed on the biggest stage.

World Cup breakout

Alajbegovic caught the eye with a series of standout performances for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup, where he started three matches.

He scored in the final group game against Qatar and retained his place in the starting XI for the last-32 tie against the United States, further enhancing his reputation among European scouts and top clubs.

His rapid rise at international level has accelerated interest in his signature, with Chelsea now seen as front-runners to secure a deal.

Alonso pushing for reunion

Chelsea’s new head coach Xabi Alonso is described as a strong advocate for the transfer, having previously overseen Alajbegovic’s development in the Bayer Leverkusen academy.

Although Alajbegovic has yet to make an official first-team appearance for Leverkusen, Alonso is familiar with his progress and potential from their time together in the club’s youth set-up and is keen to reunite with him at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder returned to Leverkusen this summer after the Bundesliga side activated a buy-back clause in his contract with Red Bull Salzburg, a move that formed part of the German club’s broader strategy of nurturing young talents and increasing their market value.

Chelsea move amid shifting transfer landscape

Chelsea’s pursuit of Alajbegovic comes as the club reshapes its attacking options, with Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho closing in on a move to Aston Villa.

That situation, coupled with a cooling of interest from several Italian clubs, has further cleared the path for Chelsea. Juventus, Atalanta and Fiorentina had all monitored Alajbegovic, but their pursuit has reportedly faded in recent months.

With fewer active rivals in the market, Chelsea are well placed to turn their long-standing interest into an agreement, though no formal announcement has yet been made.

Leverkusen’s buy-back pays off

Bayer Leverkusen’s position in the negotiations is strengthened by the structure of Alajbegovic’s previous move.

Last summer, Leverkusen sold the teenager to Red Bull Salzburg for €2m, inserting a €4m buy-back clause. That option was triggered this summer, bringing the player back to the BayArena and allowing Leverkusen to potentially secure a significant profit if he is sold on.

During his season in Austria, Alajbegovic featured in the Europa League and delivered impressive numbers in the Austrian Bundesliga, scoring nine goals and providing three assists.

Those contributions substantially raised his profile and market value, drawing attention from some of Europe’s leading clubs and helping drive the fee towards the £30m mark now being discussed.

Chelsea, Juventus and the other clubs mentioned in connection with Alajbegovic have not publicly commented on the reports, but with the transfer window under way and his stock rising, the teenager’s future is expected to be resolved in the coming weeks.