Leeds United see Kerim Alajbegovic transfer truth after World Cup showing

Leeds United have been linked with a move for exciting winger Kerim Alajbegovic over the last few weeks.

The Bosnia-Herzegovina star has impressed for Red Bull Salzburg and is set to return to Bayer Leverkusen after his buyback clause was activated.

However, his future is very much uncertain amid interest from the Whites and within the Serie A as well.

But the 49ers may need to use caution when thinking about making a move for the 18-year-old, as he may have proved he's not quite ready for the step up.

While the Austrian top flight is played to a strong level, it is not quite as tough as the Premier League, or even the World Cup.

That truth is now being played out on the World's stage, and the Peacocks' scouts must be paying attention.

Why Kerim Alajbegovic may not be ready for Premier League move

Alajbegovic has a lot of hype surrounding him and deservedly so. He has plenty of potential to make it big in the footballing world.

However, Leeds are not as financially secure as many other sides in the Premier League, and with the winger's asking price mooted at around £26million, that is quite a steep fee for the Whites.

As things stand, Daniel Farke cannot afford to put that much of the budget towards a star who could become great.

Ultimately, he needs ready made players that can come in and make a difference.

Unfortunately, at the World Cup, Alajbegovic has not proved to be that kind of player.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina's game against Switzerland, Alajbegovic was handed his first start of the tournament.

But he failed to make his mark on the game, and the occasion turned out to be too big for him.

While playing 89 minutes, he managed to complete just 74 per cent of his passes, failed to deliver a successful cross from five attempts and won just two of seven duels.

Overall, it was not the full World Cup debut he would have been hoping for, and it may be a cautionary tale for Leeds ahead of the summer window.

Why Leeds shouldn't stray from transfer strategy

In the last summer window, Leeds focused on signing experienced players who were just entering the peak years of their careers and that worked wonderfully.

The new arrivals helped guide the Whites away from relegation, and now they should look to do the same.

This forthcoming season, the LS11 outfit will be hoping to go one better and potentially push for a top-half finish.

Signing players like Alajbegovic, who may not yet be ready for the Premier League level, would ultimately be an unneeded risk.

If Alajbegovic could be signed as a squad option without taking away from the budget for guarantee starters, it would be a no-brainer.

But that looks like an impossible outcome at Elland Road as things stand.