Chelsea loses Juventus race for Bayer Leverkusen winger Kerim Alajbegovic

Chelsea has lost the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Kerim Alajbegovic after Juventus agreed a £34.2 million deal with the Bundesliga club, according to "Sky Germany". The agreement includes an initial £28.2 million fee that could rise to £34.2 million with add-ons for the 18‑year‑old Bosnia and Herzegovina international. Chelsea had been in pole position and hoped to reach an agreement over the weekend, with manager Xabi Alonso said to have been impressed by the player during his time in Leverkusen’s youth setup and to have personally encouraged him to join Stamford Bridge.

The setback forces Chelsea to reassess its attacking options as the transfer window progresses. Alajbegovic was viewed as a young, high‑potential winger who could add depth and future resale value to the squad. Losing him to a Serie A rival may push the Blues to look elsewhere in the market or reconsider their budget allocation for attacking reinforcements.

With the Juventus deal now agreed, should Chelsea shift focus to other emerging wingers, increase their offer for alternative targets, or accept the loss and adjust their seasonal plans accordingly?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/30/transfer-chelsea-suffer-kerim-alajbegovic-blow/