Kerim Alajbegović is no longer looking like a cheap gamble. Chelsea are among the clubs circling the Bayer Leverkusen winger, and the price being talked about has moved from about £30m to the €35m-€40m range as more teams enter the race. He turns 19 in September, so this is already becoming a serious outlay for a teenager.

Salzburg form built the case

The move up the market starts with what Alajbegović did at FC Basel 1893 and then at Salzburg, but the Salzburg numbers are the real eye-catcher. He scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 44 games for Red Bull Salzburg last season. He also scored at the World Cup, and at 18 years and 276 days he became the youngest player to score from outside the penalty area at a World Cup since Kylian Mbappe in 2018.

Alajbegović has also talked like someone who expects more. Speaking to teamtalk.com, he said: "I'm not a big star yet! There will be time for that! It is true that I will do everything possible to be one. I would like to play for Madrid. As a child I dreamed of giving my best to play for Real. If it's at Barcelona I don't have any problem either. When I'm in a game, I'm not afraid of anyone! I have a lot of confidence in myself and I do the same when I play against a team of higher and lower level."

Chelsea's squad choices are part of the story

The Chelsea side of this is not just about talent. The club finished 10th in the Premier League, and any wide signing has to fit a squad that still looks incomplete. Standard reporting said Chelsea would have to consider selling Pedro Neto or loaning Jamie Gittens if they formalise their interest, which tells you the deal is not being treated as a small add-on.

Atalanta have already gone in with a bid worth €30m including add-ons, while other Serie A clubs, including Milan and Fiorentina, are also in the frame. Leverkusen finished 6th in the Bundesliga and are clearly in no mood to move on a wanted teenager cheaply. Chelsea may still be well placed, but this has become a proper auction rather than a quick buy.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →