Chelsea jump ahead of Juventus and Fiorentina with €40m bid for Alajbegovic

Chelsea have made the first decisive move in the race for Kerim Alajbegovic, submitting a €40 million offer for the 18-year-old Bosnian striker. The London club decided not to wait while Serie A sides Juventus and Fiorentina hesitated, and they have now stolen a march on the competition. Alajbegovic, a product of Bayer Leverkusen's academy, initially left for Red Bull Salzburg for just €2 million. Leverkusen triggered a buyback clause a year later at €8 million, and now the teenager's value has skyrocketed. Last season he scored 13 goals and set up four more in 44 appearances across all competitions. Bayer made it clear to the Italian clubs that they would have to pay €30 million plus add-ons for the forward. But while Juventus and Fiorentina were still preparing their formal proposals, Chelsea stepped in with a straight €40 million bid, according to sources close to the negotiations. Alajbegovic is already set to feature at the 2026 World Cup with Bosnia and Herzegovina, adding extra prestige to his rapidly rising stock. Chelsea are now in pole position to secure one of Europe's most sought-after young attackers.