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Kicker reports that Chelsea have submitted their initial offer for Bayer Leverkusen attacking prospect Kerim Alajbegovic. The Premier League club’s bid is said to contain a guaranteed transfer fee exceeding €30m. The Bundesliga club nevertheless hopes to secure an overall package worth approximately €40m once performance-related bonuses are included.
Talks between the two clubs are reportedly progressing, leaving open the possibility of a rapid agreement. Chelsea have not yet agreed personal terms with the 18-year-old, however. Concrete negotiations with the player’s representatives have yet to begin.
Alajbegovic is currently training individually in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He remains scheduled to report for Leverkusen’s pre-season preparations on Monday, though developments in the Chelsea negotiations could obviously alter those plans.
Leverkusen poised to complete lucrative flip
As noted in a recent Get German Football News report, Alajbegovic has already lodged a transfer request and appears prepared to leave Leverkusen without making his senior debut for the club. Die Werkself originally sold the Köln-native to RB Salzburg for approximately €2m in July 2025. After an excellent campaign in Austria, Leverkusen exercised an €8m buyback option to reacquire him.
The Bundesliga club are nevertheless prepared to sell immediately. Alajbegovic’s estimated market value has risen to €22m. Recent Performances for Salzburg and Bosnia and Herzegovina have led to the teenage talent attracting interest from several prominent European clubs.
Atalanta have already seen an opening bid rejected. Napoli and Juventus remain linked with the youngster, but Chelsea’s offer has placed the London club firmly ahead of the Italian competition.
A €40m package would enable Leverkusen to generate an enormous profit only weeks after bringing Alajbegovic back to Germany.
