Chelsea have entered the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kerim Alajbegovic, with head coach Xabi Alonso personally pushing to bring the highly rated 18-year-old to Stamford Bridge.
The pursuit comes as Chelsea continue an ambitious summer rebuild under Alonso. Softfootball recently reported that the Blues had reached a verbal agreement with Aston Villa for Morgan Rogers in a deal worth £117 million, with Alonso playing a decisive role in convincing the England international to choose Stamford Bridge.
The Blues’ late interest has disrupted Alajbegovic’s proposed move to Atalanta, with the Serie A club now forced to wait as Chelsea explore a deal for the talented youngster.
Alonso is understood to be a strong admirer of Alajbegovic and believes the midfielder has the potential to become an important part of Chelsea’s long-term project.
Chelsea are now looking to strengthen both their first team and future prospects, with Alajbegovic emerging as the latest target. His move to Atalanta has been placed on hold while the Premier League club attempts to complete another significant piece of business.
