Tarik Muharemovic is preparing for the next major chapter of his career, but before turning his full attention to Premier League football, the Bosnia and Herzegovina defender has reflected on the journey that brought him to Leeds United.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, the 23-year-old discussed his World Cup experience, the decision to move to England, interest from Juventus and Inter, his memories of training with legendary defenders in Turin and the atmosphere he is expecting at Elland Road.

A World Cup challenge that left Muharemovic worried

One of the most dramatic moments of Muharemovic's World Cup came against the United States, when Folarin Balogun was sent off following a heavy challenge on the Bosnia defender.

The incident immediately attracted attention across social media and sports media, but Muharemovic does not believe the American forward intended to hurt him.

What concerned him most was the pain he felt in the seconds after the challenge.

"I just thank God that I escaped without an injury. That is the most important thing. It hurt and I was scared because I felt a lot of pain," Muharemovic explained.

He was eventually able to continue without suffering the serious injury he initially feared, allowing him to finish a historic tournament with Bosnia and Herzegovina before completing his summer move to England.

Why Leeds stood out among his transfer options

Muharemovic joined Leeds after establishing himself in Italian football, with his performances attracting interest beyond Sassuolo.

He confirmed that Inter were among the clubs seriously considering a move, while Juventus were also mentioned during the summer. However, once Muharemovic, his family and his agent assessed the available options, Leeds quickly became the most convincing destination.

"I felt Leeds was the best option for me. I knew how much they wanted me," he said.

According to Muharemovic, the club presented him with a detailed plan explaining where Leeds wanted to go and how he would fit into that project. Daniel Farke's expectations also matched the defender's own approach to the game.

The move opened the latest chapter of Muharemovic's Leeds United career after two important years at Sassuolo, where regular senior football helped turn him into one of Bosnia's most prominent young defenders.

Muharemovic described himself as a player prepared to defend by any means necessary, whether that means winning a header, making a tackle or putting his body in the way of an opponent.

Training with Chiellini and Bonucci felt like a movie

Long before his move to England, Muharemovic received an education in defending inside one of Italy's most demanding football environments.

He arrived at Juventus as a teenager and progressed through the club's youth and Next Gen structure, eventually earning opportunities to train around the first team.

One of his strongest memories comes from entering the gym early during one of his first sessions and watching Paulo Dybala, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci arrive one after another.

"I felt like I was in a movie," he recalled.

Muharemovic paid particular attention to Chiellini, not only because of his defensive ability but because of the emotion with which the Italian celebrated tackles and duels.

Those years became an important part of Muharemovic's development at Juventus, although another defender had already shaped his idea of how the position should be played.

That player was former Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Emir Spahic, whose aggressive defending and emotional approach Muharemovic watched in old footage.

Ready to face the Premier League's biggest forwards

Muharemovic is now entering a league filled with attacking talent, but he insists the prospect of facing some of Europe's most dangerous forwards excites him rather than intimidates him.

Asked which opponents he is particularly looking forward to facing, he named Erling Haaland and Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko.

His confidence has already been boosted by an encouraging pre-season at Leeds. Muharemovic produced one of the standout moments at Elland Road when he scored against Augsburg in Leeds' final pre-season friendly.

The goal added to the sense of anticipation surrounding his first competitive appearances in English football.

World Cup memories remain special

Muharemovic also reflected on Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup campaign and the scenes that followed the country's historic qualification.

He described the celebrations involving supporters as something that still feels almost unreal and said representing Bosnia on football's biggest stage was one of the most important experiences of his career.

At the same time, he believes the national team was capable of showing even more during the tournament.

While proud that Bosnia progressed from the group and made history, Muharemovic felt the performances did not always reach the level the team had previously demonstrated during the decisive qualifying matches.

For the defender, however, those memories now belong to the previous chapter.

The next one begins in England.

"The Premier League is a dream come true"

Since arriving at Leeds, Muharemovic says he has repeatedly watched videos of the Elland Road atmosphere on YouTube.

Now he is preparing to experience it from the pitch.

"The Premier League is a dream come true," he said, describing England's top division as the league every footballer wants to experience.

After Austria, Juventus, Sassuolo, the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team and a World Cup, Muharemovic's career has brought him to another major test.

And judging by his message before the season, he has no intention of approaching it cautiously.

He wants the duels, the pressure and the responsibility that come with being a Premier League defender.