Manchester United intensify scouting of RB Salzburg’s Kerim Alajbegovic as Leverkusen move to hijack

Manchester United have been scouting RB Salzburg talent Kerim Alajbegovic intensively, with Bayer Leverkusen preparing a strong push to sign the 18-year-old. This is a classic Red Bull pathway battle, and the timing suggests both clubs want to move before his price spikes. From what I’m hearing, United’s recruitment team likes his high-press engine and willingness to attack space, traits that fit Ruben Amorim’s blueprint. Leverkusen will argue development minutes and a clear stepping-stone. United will counter with a defined role and a fast track to senior football. If United act decisively, they can win this race.

German reports, notably from Sport BILD, indicate Bayer Leverkusen intend to move decisively for Kerim Alajbegovic. In England, scouting activity around RB Salzburg fixtures has intensified as Manchester United track the teenager closely. Within the Red Bull network, players often graduate via FC Liefering to Salzburg’s first team, then jump to a top five league. That context frames this chase. The window ahead is key as both sporting projects aim to secure his signature before a broader market scramble.

🚨 JUST IN: Manchester United have been scouting RB Salzburg youngster Kerim Alajbegovic ‘intensively’. Signing him will be problematic; Leverkusen intend to beat any sides to the 18-year-old’s signature. [@Sport_Witness, @SPORTBILD]

@UtdXclusive

Impact Analysis

I look at this through the lens of dressing rooms I’ve been in. When a club goes this hard, this early, it is rarely a punt. United under Jason Wilcox have targeted profiles that can play fast, press high and run beyond the ball. Alajbegovic’s appeal is clear in that context. Salzburg polish players who understand trigger presses, vertical runs and quick combinations between the lines. Drop that into Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 and you get a young forward who can rotate wide to central and still meet the defensive work rate demanded at Old Trafford.

Leverkusen complicate the picture. Xabi Alonso’s structure is a dream for technical youngsters, and their track record of improving prospects is elite. From a purely developmental view, Germany offers a calmer runway. But United’s pitch is changing. There is a pathway for a high-ceiling attacker to earn minutes alongside established names if he embraces the physical jump. For recruitment optics, winning this head-to-head matters. Beating Leverkusen for a top 18-year-old would signal that United can still out-sell Europe’s best projects on role clarity and growth plan.

Financially, this is the sweet spot. Pre-breakout Salzburg talents are cost-efficient relative to upside. If United secure favorable add-ons and a smart loan plan if needed, the risk is controlled. The upside is obvious: an explosive, coachable forward educated in an elite development school, ready to scale with Premier League demands.

Reaction

The fan pulse is split but lively. Some asked the basic question first: what’s his position. That is telling, because most supporters want certainty before they buy the hype. Others joked that if he’s any good he ends up at Leipzig, pointing to the familiar Red Bull pipeline. It’s a fair concern, and one United scouts anticipate when they move early on Salzburg profiles.

There is also the optimism camp. A few voices argued the player ultimately decides, noting recent cases where youngsters chose a project over an easier pathway. That point resonates with me. When I was breaking through, the right promise of minutes beat a safer league every time. Another line of chatter mocked the habit of linking any rising teen with United, but that noise always spikes when the club is active in youth markets.

What cut through was the debate about development vs exposure. Leverkusen’s recent track record has supporters nervous. United fans countered with the idea that Amorim’s system fits a high-intensity wide forward and that Old Trafford’s stage still accelerates growth if the role is defined. It’s a healthy tug of war. Strip away the banter and you get a reasonable consensus: if United act quickly, present a clear plan and avoid a drawn-out auction, they can make this real.

Social reactions

But doesn't the player have the final say? If he decides he wants to sign for United, he'll do it, just like what happened with Álvaro Carreras.

Kevin M (@kevinout2025)

Does the Football world know u? ... No ... There you go you are now linked to Manchester United ... United fans

KOBE MANU 🇮🇳 (@KingKobeManU)

What’s his position

Klub Jae (@jerugr8)

Prediction

Three scenarios stand out. First and most likely if United maintain tempo: a swift agreement on fee structure with Salzburg, built around realistic add-ons and a pathway that may include an initial integration period or a carefully chosen loan if minutes are blocked. United secure the signature, announce a multi-year deal and outline a development plan aligned to Amorim’s rotation at wide forward or a secondary striker role.

Second, Leverkusen move fast, sell a Wirtz-era template of patient development and win the trust of the player’s camp. In that case, Salzburg’s acceptance is straightforward, and the player chooses the Bundesliga runway that has worked for many peers. United pivot to the next name on their list, having tested the market signals.

Third, the Red Bull ecosystem asserts itself, with RB Leipzig entering late if metrics jump this spring. If that happens, the fee climbs and the conversation shifts to long-term minutes in Germany. United can still compete, but they would need to over-deliver on role clarity and timeline.

My read as a former pro: United can tilt this their way by showing micro detail. Position-specific video sessions, clear KPI targets for year one and two, and a realistic minutes map. Do that and the Premier League stage wins.

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Conclusion

I’ve seen these battles from inside a squad. The clubs that win do not just offer a badge. They offer a plan the player can feel. Alajbegovic is exactly the profile that thrives when instructions are clear and the system fits his running power and pressing habits. Salzburg have already done the hard part by installing the right habits. United’s job is to make the next step obvious and achievable.

Leverkusen will not make it easy. Their case is strong and built on recent success stories. But United have momentum in youth recruitment and a coach whose game model suits a modern wide forward who can attack space, combine quickly and defend from the front. If the conversations this week turn into formal talks with concrete benchmarks, I fancy United to edge it.

Seal this now, avoid a summer auction and you get value and upside. Wait, and the Red Bull ladder and Bundesliga suitors crowd the lane. From where I sit, this is the kind of calculated, high-upside move United should complete.