Chelsea are the latest to show interest in young German star.
Chelsea are not through spending and have identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz as their next transfer target. After signing Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and on the brink of completing a deal for RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner, the Blues have turned their attention to Germany’s latest standout player.
According to ESPN, Chelsea consider Havertz a suitable alternative to Jadon Sancho who they believe will opt for Manchester United should he end up leaving Borussia Dortmund.
Manager Frank Lampard is looking to revamp his squad with players who are young yet have enough experience under their belt. With Pedro likely to leave and Willian’s future unclear, they know they’ll have to find replacements for at least one of them.
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Unfortunately for Chelsea, they are hardly the only club after Havertz. The likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also chasing the 20-year-old attacking midfielder with the Spanish giants reportedly tabling a bid for €80 million.
According to The Guardian, the club have held early talks with Leverkusen and are hoping to negotiate a deal worth £70 million, or €78 million. Given his present and possible future, that amount may be too small. Especially considering what Madrid were willing to offer.
After going through a couple of seasons without spending much, it seems like Roman Abramovich has opened his wallet again and willing to get the players necessary for their ambitions.
They are well behind both Liverpool and Manchester City and need to spend if they are to compete both in the Premier League and Champions League. They are going to lose some older players after this season and can’t go another relying on academy players.
Starting players from the academy is always a good thing but one cannot expect them to make a difference straight away. There needs to be a balance between youth and experience. Chelsea recognize this given who they signed and who they are being linked with.
In any case, this is early days with regards to Kai Havertz. Bayer Leverkusen are going to have plenty of options should they sell him once the season is over. For him to land at Chelsea, they’re going to have to beat out some very stiff competition.