Chelsea beaten to striker signing with ‘deal done’ and final transfer fee revealed
Chelsea have lost out in their efforts to sign a striker sensation, with two separate sources confirming which club beat the Blues and how much the deal is worth.
Chelsea’s transfer strategy this summer has raised eyebrows of late, with the club wrapping up deals to sign veteran pair Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck.
They are both in their mid-thirties, and it’s doubtful as to whether either will make any meaningful level of impact – or even start a match – during a season in which there’s a light fixture list with no European football at Stamford Bridge.
Of course, the idea is to provide the dressing room with much-needed experience and leadership, though that could have been achieved without signing players at the very end of their careers.
Elsewhere, the Blues have still brought in a handful of younger stars this summer, like Marco Palestra. Geovany Quenda and Emmanuel Emegha both arrived in west London after their respective deals were pre-agreed.
And over the past 48 hours, Chelsea ramped up efforts to sign another young star – Bayer Leverkusen striker, Kerim Alajbegović.
The 18-year-old burst on to the scene last term during a highly impressive loan spell at RB Salzburg.
Alajbegović then starred at the World Cup, scoring for his country Bosnia and Herzegovina in their 3-1 victory over Qatar.
But according to both Sky Germany and reporter Ben Jacobs, Chelsea have just lost out to Juventus.
Juventus beat Chelsea to striker transfer
Taking to X, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg declared: ‘Kerim Alajbegovic to Juventus – DONE DEAL.
‘Full agreement reached with Bayer 04 Leverkusen for a fixed fee of €33m.
‘Including bonuses, Leverkusen can receive up to €40m, as revealed on Monday.
‘Juventus have won the race ahead of Chelsea and Napoli. Medical and signing still pending.’
That was quickly backed up by Jacobs who wrote on X: ‘Juventus have reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Kerim Alajbegovic. €33m+€7m package.
‘As previously reported, Juventus a frontrunner, while Chelsea held talks. Player terms still to be finalised.’
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The fact an agreement on personal terms is still to be ironed out could give Chelsea hope of launching a late hijack.
But with Plettenberg going strong with his insistence the race is won, you would have to assume Chelsea will now look at other market opportunities.
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