Arsenal in talks to sign World Cup star as Martinelli replacement

2 Jul 2026 07:57 BST | 4 min read

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Make us your Google favourite

Arsenal have reportedly spoken to the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina wonderkid Kerim Alajbegovic ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Article continues under the video

The Gunners are understood to be in the market for a new left winger amid the uncertain future of Gabriel Martinelli, and Bradley Barcola and Morgan Rogers have both been earmarked as top targets by the Emirates Stadium hierarchy.

However, the club have also identified a number of alternative options, including Alajbegovic and Club Brugge star Christos Tzolis.

Current ETV

Kerim Alajbegovic

F, M (L)

RB Salzburg

Kerim Alajbegovic

F, M (L)

RB Salzburg

ETV Range

€12.1M - €14.8M

Alajbegovic joined the Bayer Leverkusen academy back in 2021 and after being sold to RB Salzburg on a permanent deal last summer, he has now returned to the Bundesliga outfit for €8 million.

The 18-year-old scored his second international goal for Bosnia during their 3-1 win over Qatar in the World Cup group stages, but he was unable to prevent a 2-0 loss to USA in the round of 32.

Alajbegovic is expected to play a key role for the Leverkusen first-team next season, having registered 17 goal contributions in 44 games for RB Salzburg last term, but there is already significant transfer interest in his services.

In fact, Arsenal have already spoken to his representatives, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

© IMAGO - Kerim Alajbegovic starred for RB Salzburg last season

Analysis: Why Arsenal shouldn’t sign Kerim Alajbegovic

Despite talks with Alajbegovic’s camp, it remains to be seen if Arsenal will solidify their interest and launch a formal bid for the 18-year-old’s signature.

The Gunners want to sign an upgrade on their current left winger options and despite the Bosnian’s evident talent, and his eye-catching form at the World Cup, he is still incredibly raw and perhaps not yet ready to contribute for a team with aspirations of winning the Champions League.

Furthermore, with Jeremy Monga set to arrive from Leicester City, Arsenal are already signing a talented option for the left flank and a more experienced player to replace Martinelli would be advisable.

The aforementioned Barcola and Rogers are the two obvious choices, although they are likely to cost in excess of €100 million.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store