Manchester United are keeping close tabs on RB Salzburg talent Kerim Alajbegovic
One of Manchester United’s biggest problems last season was scoring goals. After loaning out Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa and Antony to Real Betis in January, Ruben Amorim was left with Ramus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes as attacking options.
Amad, Bruno and Garnacho did decently to chip in with goals from midfield and wide areas, but lack of goals from centre-forwards Hojlund and Zirkzee appeared to be the main concern. INEOS and Ruben Amorim quickly identified the problem after the club’s worst-ever finish in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. The result was the club signing a brand-new front three of Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo.
After a slow start, Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo have started developing cohesion on the pitch. The trio have chiefly contributed to recent consecutive Premier League wins over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. The partnership of Mbeumo and Amad on the right flank have been crucial during the team’s recent revival.
However, Manchester United are bracing to lose Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui for the AFCON, which starts on December 22. As such, the club has to start planning for reinforcements to potentially replace them, especially the attacking duo of Mbeumo and Amad.
Manchester United keeping close tabs on RB Salzburg talent
According to Sky Germany journalist Ben Heckner on X, Manchester United, Chelsea and FC Porto are keeping close tabs on Red Bull Salzburg winger Kerim Alajbegovic.
Kerim Alajbegovic has caught the attention of some big European clubs following his impressive start to life in the Austrian Bundesliga. The teenager has bagged six goals and one assist in 20 games this season after delivering 28 goal contributions for the Bayer Leverkusen Under-19s last term. Bayer Leverkusen have decided to keep a buy-back clause after selling him to RB Salzburg in the summer.
He is the youngster ever Bosnia and Herzegovina international and goalscorer, which highlights what a sublime talent he is. No wonder the likes of Man United, Chelsea and Porto are keen on signing Alajbegovic, who can operate on both flanks. The 18-year-old can also play through the middle, boasts of shooting power, creativity and pace, and United could use these qualities in attack in the potential absences of Amad and Mbeumo in January.
Manchester United are keeping close tabs on RB Salzburg talent Kerim Alajbegovic.
Manchester United closely monitoring situation of Kerim Alajbegovic at RB Salzburg
Another talent spotted by Christopher Vivell?
Man United appointed Christopher Vivell as the club’s director of recruitment in 2024. He has had a big influence in the signings of some young talents under the leadership of INEOS, and played an instrumental role in helping the club bring in Sesko from RB Leipzig in the summer.
The Red Devils are now planning to raid RB Salzburg, a club where Vivell worked as a scout and identified several gems before joining RB Leipzig as their technical director. So, United’s interest in Alajbegovic is apparently led by Vivell, whose talent ID has been fantastic. Alajbegovic is among the latest fresh talents emerging from the Balkan region, and his eye-catching displays in Salzburg have placed him on United’s radar.
Under INEOS, the Mancunian giants are always on the lookout for talented prospects who have the potential to become a world-beater in the future. If they feel Alajbegovic falls into that category, we must snap him up in the winter window itself, although Bayer Leverkusen having a buy-back clause could spoil the party.