Chelsea set to hijack deal for World Cup star in Xabi Alonso request

Chelsea are reportedly favourites to sign Bosnia and Herzegovina starlet Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen.

The winger impressed at the 2026 World Cup as Bosnia reached the knockout stage for the first time.

AFP

Chelsea in pole position

With his goal in his country’s 3-1 group win over Qatar, the 18-year-old became the eighth-youngest World Cup scorer of all time.

And Alajbegovic appears set for a big move this summer, with the Telegraph reporting Chelsea are leading the race for his signature ahead of Juventus.

Born in Cologne, Germany, Alajbegovic began his youth career with local side 1. FC Koln.

He moved on to Leverkusen in 2021 but ultimately made his senior debut for Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg.

However, he returned to Leverkusen this summer after the Bundesliga side triggered a buy-back clause.

Alajbegovic was in the youth system at Leverkusen while new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso was managing the first team.

Alonso is thought to be keen for the Blues to bring the player to Stamford Bridge.

Alajbegovic made 44 appearances in all competitions for Salzburg last season, scoring 13 goals.

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He earned his first senior international cap against San Marino last September, marking it with a goal.

And he went on to feature in all four of Bosnia’s World Cup games, starting three of them.

He’s been capped 14 times overall, scoring twice.

New faces keep coming at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have already had a fairly busy summer as they begin the Alonso era.

England star Morgan Rogers is the marquee arrival so far, completing a British-record £117m switch from Aston Villa earlier this week – the third Premier League transfer of the window worth £100m or more.

Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho is poised to move in the other direction on loan.

Rogers follows right-back Marco Palestra, striker Emmanuel Emegha and winger Geovany Quenda to West London.

Chelsea kick off the new Premier League campaign away to local rivals Fulham on August 24.

Their first home fixture sees them take on Brighton six days later.