As Edin Dzeko enters the final years of his career, a new star is rising in Bosnian football. 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, a product of the Bayer Leverkusen academy, has caught everyone's attention with his brilliant performances after moving from German football to Austria. The attacking midfielder, who joined Red Bull Salzburg last summer, forced his former club to activate a buy-back clause before he even made his BayArena debut, according to Goal.com reports.
Although Alajbegovic was born in Cologne, Germany, he chose to represent his historical homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His father and agent, Semin, was also a professional footballer who played in the lower German leagues. Kerim began his career at the FC Koln academy in 2013 and moved to regional rivals Bayer Leverkusen eight years later, a transfer that proved to be a turning point in his career.
At Leverkusen, he shone in the U17 team at just 15 years old. In the 2024-25 season, he recorded 28 goal contributions (14 goals and 14 assists) in 13 matches for the U19 team. Such stats did not leave Red Bull Salzburg scouts indifferent. Although he did not make an appearance for the Bayer Leverkusen first team, Xabi Alonso included him in several Bundesliga and Champions League matchday squads.
Currently, many European giants are interested in the young talent. It is possible that Bayer Leverkusen could sell him for a higher fee after exercising their buy-back option. The player himself does not hide his dream of wearing the Real Madrid jersey in the future. Bosnian fans are expecting great results from the Alajbegovic and Dzeko tandem at the 2026 World Cup.
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