Bosnia and Herzegovina national team player Kerim Alajbegović is on the verge of a spectacular transfer to Juventus, after the Turin giants, according to German Sky Sport, reached a final agreement with Bayer Leverkusen regarding his transfer.
According to available information, Juventus will immediately allocate 33 million euros for the 18-year-old attacker, while the total value of the transfer, thanks to bonuses, could reach as much as 40 million euros. It remains for the two parties to agree on the final administrative details before the deal is officially confirmed.
Italian media report that Alajbegović could arrive in Turin as early as Thursday, where he should undergo medical examinations and complete the final formalities before signing the contract.
Chelsea was left without BiH talent
Chelsea were also seriously interested in Alajbegović, who in recent days were known as the main favorite in the race for his signature. However, according to the information of the Italian journalist Nicola Schira, the young representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina rejected the possibility of going to Stamford Bridge.
The reason, as stated, was the sporting vision of the London club. Chelsea planned to send Alajbegović on a one-year loan to Strasbourg in France after signing the contract, while the BiH footballer wanted to win a place in the first team immediately and have a more significant role.
Such an outcome opened the door for Juventus, who accelerated negotiations and managed to secure an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen.
Pjanić allegedly played an important role
Some Italian media claim that former Bosnia and Herzegovina representative Miralem Pjanić played a significant role in the negotiations.
Allegedly, Pjanić met with Alajbegović’s father in Italy in April, and according to the local media, that meeting was one of the steps that contributed to the rapprochement of the two sides and the final agreement.
Although this information has not been officially confirmed, the Italian media singles it out as an important detail in the entire transfer.
Spalletti already has a plan for Alajbegović
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Alajbegović should join the Juventus team on the pre-season tour in China and Australia immediately after signing the contract.
In this way, the new coach of Juventus, Luciano Spalletti, would have the opportunity to assess the possibilities of the young BiH national team player during the preparations and fit him into the game system for the new season.
The Italian newspaper states that Alajbegović naturally prefers to play on the left wing, but that he can perform equally well on the right side or behind the striker as an offensive midfielder.
However, the competition in the attacking part of Juventus is extremely strong. Kenan Yıldız and Jérémie Boga are already on the left side, while Francisco Conceição and Milot Zhegrova are on the right wing.
For this reason, the possibility of Spalletti using Alajbegović in the central areas of the pitch is not ruled out, where his technical qualities, creativity and ability to play in a small space could be fully expressed.
During the preparations in China and Australia, the Italian expert will have enough time to try different tactical variants before the start of the new season.
The Italians are convinced of his potential
Italian lawyer and sports analyst Domenico La Marca also spoke about the potential arrival of Alajbegović in Serie A, who believes that the transfer would be a great move for both the player and Juventus.
According to his opinion, this is one of the most talented young footballers of his generation, who has top technical qualities and a lot of room for further development.
La Marca believes that Serie A could be the ideal environment for his progress, because Italian football traditionally contributes to the development of tactical discipline, maturity and continuity in the game of young footballers.
If the final details are agreed according to plan, Kerim Alajbegović could soon become a new member of Juventus and achieve one of the biggest transfers in the history of Bosnian football.
