Kerim Alajbegović on his big summer move: It was ‘impossible to say no’ to Juventus

Kerim Alajbegović has had quite an eventful time since he signed with Juventus during the first weekend of August. That is not due to anything bad, but mostly because he arrived in Turin for his medical, signed his contract and then immediately hoped on a plane with his new teammates for a summer tour through Hong Kong and then Australia.

That’s not much time for rest — although you have to believe an 18-year-old starlet like Alajbegović could handle it because that is the luxury of being so young.

Now that the Juve squad is back in Italy, Alajbegović can both breathe a little bit but also start to settle into his new digs in Turin. He has also had his first big interview with the Italian press, taking to the microphone on Sky Italia to discuss both his move to Juventus and who he is as a player. And for such a young man, he had some very interesting things to say.

Like what it meant to know that Juventus were interested and then suddenly the club that now employs him.

“When it’s a big club like Juve that calls you … it was impossible for me to say no. I’m very proud to be here and I can’t wait to take on this new challenge in Serie A. It’s really great. The team welcomed me very well; I found a great group and a great welcome. I’m really proud to be here; I’m already feeling great in this team.”

(All quotes via TuttoJuve.com)

One of the notable sights during the build-up to Alajbegović’s move to Juventus was that former Bianconeri midfielder Miralem Pjanic was right alongside him when he arrived in Turin. Pjanic, who retired in 2025, now works as an agent — and it’s pretty easy to see that a Bosnian legend played a key role in helping one of Bosnia’s rising stars, Alajbegović, make the biggest move of his young career.

“First of all, Miralem was a great player and was very important for the transfer. He was in contact with the club and with my father, and I think he had a huge influence on the negotiations. He’s a truly great person, and I trust him a lot, as does my father.”

Juventus have gotten plenty of praise for the signing considering the level of talent that Alajbegović is projected to have over the next few years. One of the people who has chimed in on the Alajbegović signing is a certain Alessandro Del Piero, who had plenty of praise for the 18-year-old attacker.

“The investment in Alajbegović on the other hand gives me particular pleasure,” Del Piero said over the weekend. “First of all because we’re talking about a young talent who can become a lot of stuff in the future. And then it’s nice that such a highly regarded guy chose the Italian championship to grow: we’re getting used to having them stolen from us

So what did Alajbegović think of Juventus’ most famous player ever heaping him with praise?

“It’s an honor that a legend like him has spoken so highly of me.”

Alajbegović is now expected to be a big part of Juventus’ attack alongside their current No. 10, Kenan Yildiz. The two got their first minutes together on the field during the preseason friendly against Palermo. And

Kenan is an extraordinary player and I get along really well with him. We even speak the same language, German, so everything is easier for us. We’re very close and he’s also helping me understand a lot of new things. It’s great to have someone like that by my side, Kenan is truly great.”

It has been a fast rise for Alajbegović over the last couple of years. After coming through the youth ranks at Bayern Leverkusen in his early teens, he made his senior debut with RB Salzburg last season at the tender age of 17. Since then, he also made his debut with the Bosnian national team in September 2025, including an appearance in the World Cup playoff that marked Italy missing a third straight tournament.

So what does a player who has burst onto the scene over the past 12 months have in store?

“I definitely have ambitions, because I like the pressure. I have personal goals, but I prefer not to reveal them. I want to play as much as possible, although obviously the coach will decide. I’m ready. I want to play, score, provide assists, and above all help the team. That’s the most important thing for me.”

Play. Score. Provide assists. Help the team. All of that sounds good, right?

Sounds like the question about who he looks up to as a player is coming up next …

“There are certainly many great players, but for me the best is Lionel Messi. It’s wonderful to watch him play and be inspired by his play. For me, he’s the best ever.”

And just in case you’re wondering, Kerim said this about his life outside of the field: “I like playing PlayStation and hanging out with friends. I also spend a lot of time with my family, which is really important to me. And I like sleeping! I don’t have any particular hobbies, but in my free time I mostly enjoy doing these things.”