Chelsea have identified Bayer Leverkusen youngster Kerim Alajbegović as a potential attacking target, though any move for the Bosnia and Herzegovina international depends on player departures from Stamford Bridge.
The Athletic reports that the Premier League club are tracking the 18-year-old, who previously worked with new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen. Alajbegović was coming through the German club’s academy while Alonso was in charge between October 2022 and May 2025.
The connection with Alonso could give Chelsea an advantage. The manager knows the youngster’s capabilities from their time together in Germany and may see him as a long-term option for the squad.
International pedigree and career path
Despite his age, Alajbegović has already made headlines on the global stage. According to the report, he became the eighth-youngest player to score at a World Cup when he found the net during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 3-1 victory over Qatar.
The teenager’s club career has already taken an unusual turn. Last summer, Leverkusen sold him to RB Salzburg in Austria, but the Bundesliga side quickly changed course, paying €8 million to bring him back. This swift return suggests Leverkusen rate him highly, even though he has yet to become a regular senior player.
Competition from Italy and financial hurdles
Chelsea are not alone in their admiration. The report notes that Alajbegović was previously linked with a move to Atalanta in Italy’s Serie A. However, a transfer to the Premier League would likely cost significantly more, giving Leverkusen greater reason to negotiate with English clubs.
For Chelsea, completing a deal remains complicated. The club must first sell players before adding new attackers. This means any pursuit of Alajbegović is still at the monitoring stage, with concrete developments likely to wait until the squad has been streamlined.