Chelsea miss out on €40m transfer after wonderkid rejects Alonso plan to sign for rivals

29 Jul 2026 18:03 BST | 3 min read

Suraj Radia | Editor

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Chelsea look set to miss out on the signing of Kerim Alajbegovic after the Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid rejected the club’s proposal in order to agree a move to Juventus instead.

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Alajbegovic had been in talks with Chelsea after the Premier League side were given permission to speak to the 18-year-old about a move but Sky Sport Germany report that the player now has a full agreement to join Juventus.

Transfer reporter Nicolo Schira has alleged that Alajbegovic turned down Chelsea due to his reluctance to initially go on loan to affiliate club Strasbourg, with the attacking midfielder wanting a key role in the first team instead.

Juventus have now struck a deal with Leverkusen believed to be worth an initial €33 million, rising to €40m with add-ons and including a sell-on clause.

The likes of Roma, Napoli and Atalanta were also interested but Juventus won the race after assuring Alejbegovic that he would be an important first team player.

A deal is now expected to be completed in the coming days, although the final details of the transfer are still being ratified ahead of a medical.

Alajbegovic rejects Alonso reunion to join Juventus instead

Alajbegovic was a player well known to Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, having spent time at Leverkusen’s academy during the Spanish coach’s time at the club.

© IMAGO - Kerim Alajbegovic looks set to join Juventus.

The Bosnian international eventually joined RB Salzburg for €2m last summer and had an impressive campaign in Austria, scoring nine goals and providing three assists.

Leverkusen opted to activate their buy-back clause to sign Alajbegovic this summer for €8m with the notion to again sell him on for profit, prompting interest from a number of sides across Europe.

Chelsea had been hoping for Alajbegovic to spend a season on loan at Strasbourg before linking up with their first team, with Alonso unable to assure the youngster of a first team role after the record signing of Morgan Rogers, but the plan proved unconvincing.

Alajbegovic’s reputation was also enhanced after he netted for Bosnia and Herzegovina against Qatar in the 2026 World Cup and the race for his signature intensified following the tournament.