Chelsea’s left flank is set for another shake-up, with the Blues reportedly eyeing a swoop for Bayer Leverkusen’s rising star Kerim Alajbegovic, according to The Athletic.

Garnacho And Gittens Have Failed To Convince

Last summer’s dual raid on Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens was supposed to solve Chelsea’s wide-left conundrum. It hasn’t quite worked out. Garnacho managed just two goals in 33 Premier League and Champions League outings, while Gittens’ campaign was ravaged by injuries, limiting him to only eight starts across both competitions.

With Garnacho now strongly linked with Aston Villa, who’ve already smashed the bank for Morgan Rogers, Chelsea’s exit door looks increasingly open.

Who Is Kerim Alajbegovic?

The 18-year-old spent last season on loan at Red Bull Salzburg, where he lit up Austrian football with 13 goals and four assists in 40 appearances. Impressed, Leverkusen brought him back into the fold and tied him down until 2031, with Transfermarkt pegging his value at £19m.

Standing at 6ft 1in, Alajbegovic offers genuine versatility. Primarily a left-winger, he’s equally comfortable cutting in from the right or dropping into a central role. Quick feet, sharp dribbling in tight spaces, and a genuine threat from range make him a tantalising profile for any elite academy graduate list.

The Real Question

Leverkusen won’t budge cheaply given his long-term deal — so does Chelsea’s pursuit hinge entirely on how quickly they can offload Garnacho? Watch this space.