Chelsea could announce three new signings this week in Maxence Lacroix, Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck – but Kerim Alajbegovic won’t be rocking up at Stamford Bridge.
Lacroix and Welbeck are said to have completed medicals, while Brentford have confirmed the exit of Henderson. The veteran duo have agreed two-year deals at Chelsea, while Lacroix will cost around £52m.
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Chelsea want to sign Jordan Henderson graphic
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But Chelsea are unlikely to stop there. Alajbegovic is a name that has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea in the past few weeks, after a stunning season with Bayer Leverkusen over the past 12 months.
His long-range shooting ability – which was on show at the World Cup with Bosnia – has caught the eye. Chelsea are said to have agreed personal terms with Alajbegovic, but it appears he is off to Juventus.
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The 18-year-old’s ambition is clear. Chelsea had everything agreed, according to reports, with the Blues ready to part with a £34m fee to sign the attacking midfielder. But BlueCo’s plan did not appeal.
According to Nicolo Schira, Alajbegovic chose to turn Chelsea down because BlueCo had planned to loan the Bosnian wonderkid to Strasbourg this summer. Filip Jorgensen looks set to move to the French side.
Kerim Alajbegovic before Bosnia and Herzegovina match
Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images
But Alajbegovic was not enthused by that plan, preferring to play a prominent role at the club he would be joining. Chelsea’s agreement in principle, believed to be worth £34m, has now gone up in smoke.
“Kerim Ajajbegovic has turned down Chelsea’s bid because he won’t join Strasbourg on loan and wants a key role. CFC reached an agreement in principle with Leverkusen to sign him for €40M [£34m].”
Alajbegovic would have been an incredible signing
The youngster has enormous potential and Juventus – if they manage to secure a deal – are getting a proper talent. The same goes for Chelsea, had they managed to convince him to make a move to London.
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But it also has to be said that it is understandable that BlueCo suggested shipping him out on loan to Strasbourg. With Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and other attacking stars, a starting role was unlikely.
Unfortunately, it looks like Chelsea will miss out on Alajbegovic, and it will be a case of what could have been. Instead, the Blues will have to rely on Rogers, Palmer and co. to deliver a Champions League place.
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