Atalanta far from securing Alajbegovic as other Serie A sides hunt Leverkusen gem
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Although it was reported that an agreement between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen was imminent for Kerim Alajbegovic, this scenario is currently considered highly unlikely.
The primary reason lies in financial constraints – no Serie A club is likely willing to pay the kind of transfer fee Leverkusen could expect from a Premier League side, according to Kicker.de.
Even a guaranteed fee of €30million would be considered exceptionally high in Italy. Furthermore, Atalanta is not the only interested party in the Italian topflight.
Napoli and reportedly AC Milan are also actively pursuing Alajbegovic. Given this competition, Bayer Leverkusen has no reason to lower its asking price.
Furthermore, a potential sale of Alajbegovic is a sensitive issue particularly from sporting and emotional aspect, with many fans viewing the 18-year-old as a successor to Florian Wirtz.
Consequently, a transfer fee below €30million would likely be perceived by many supporters not as a financial success, but rather as the wrong signal from a sporting standpoint.
With Alajbegovic, the club has the opportunity to further cement its reputation as a breeding ground for top international players such as the aforementioned Wirtz and Kai Havertz.
Such a trajectory would not only underscore the club's successful youth development work but also turn Alajbegovic into a role model for young talents.
