Kerim Alajbegovic Shines at the 2026 World Cup: The Transfer Window Is Looming, and Serie A Is Also Ready to Welcome Him
On the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team, Kerim Alajbegovic is establishing himself as one of the best players on the squad coached by Sergej Barbarez: born in 2007 in Cologne, he has always been determined to play for the Bosnian national team to honor his family’s heritage. Alajbegovic came off the bench in the 2026 World Cup opener against Canada, then earned a starting spot in the subsequent matches against Switzerland and Qatar, demonstrating character and technical maturity.
It was precisely the final Group B match against Qatar that marked the turning point of his World Cup campaign: first, a powerful mid-range shot that opened the scoring in the match that ended 3-1 for the Balkan side, and then the MVP award in a game that kept the yellow-and-blue national team’s hopes alive. A performance that inevitably caught the attention of the scouts in attendance, confirming the qualities already glimpsed in his journey from the youth teams of Cologne and Bayer Leverkusen to Europa League matches with Salzburg.
Alajbegovic’s market value, estimated at 22 million by Transfermarkt, already seems to have been surpassed by the interest the Red Bull-affiliated Austrian club has received in recent weeks. In Italy, Roma has made a move, while Atalanta is considering joining the race. Inter and Milan are sitting on the sidelines, monitoring how the situation unfolds.
Abroad, the Premier League remains particularly attentive to emerging talents: Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City have requested information, while in Germany, Borussia Dortmund is following the player with interest. Sporting in Portugal has also expressed appreciation for his technical skills.
The World Cup has thus accelerated a process that was already underway: Alajbegovic is set for a busy summer, with a transfer that could far exceed the initial valuation. Salzburg, which in the past has successfully capitalized on major sales such as those of Szoboszlai and Haaland, is in no hurry and knows it has a talent on its hands destined to spark an international bidding war.
