According to a recent report by the Daily Mail, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to be eyeing up another raid on the German Bundesliga to try and acquire the signature of Bayer Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz this summer. The report suggests that Frank Lampard is keen on closing the gap between Chelsea and the other English giants after they were forced to go the last two transfer windows without bringing any new names in. It is claimed that the Blues would have to dive into their deep pockets to sign the German, whose market value is said to be upwards of £75m.
Although the report claims that Chelsea are keen on Kai Havertz, they are set to face competition from other top European clubs for his services this summer. Having reportedly agreed the £53m signing of Timo Werner from Leipzig, Lampard is keen on bringing in another wide midfielder to replace the departing veterans Pedro and Willian. Speaking on the matter, Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said, “We know that all the great clubs from Germany and Europe are after him and that he has the ability to play anywhere.”
What Is Chelsea’s Current Situation In The Wide Areas?
The aforementioned duo of Willian and Pedro have been extremely loyal servants to the Stamford Bridge club over the years. The goals and assists they’ve provided at key times and the parts they’ve played in the Blues’ title runs, simply cannot be underplayed. But with the pair of them set to depart, Lampard will need to bring in more reinforcements in the wide areas. This leaves the London club with just Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi as the wide options for next season, even though names like Mason Mount and Ross Barkley have been utilised in that role by Lampard throughout the season.
What Would Kai Havertz Add To This Chelsea Attack?
The youngster isn’t necessarily a winger by position, but given his supremely well-balanced skill-set, it’s safe to say that Havertz can operate anywhere across the front-line. The German is originally an attacking midfielder, but with Mason Mount and Hakim Ziyech both options for the same number ten role, Lampard is likely to be targeting Havertz as a wide man. The 20-year-old made his first-team debut for Leverkusen when he was just 17, and over the next three years, he’s gone on to become one of the most prized youngsters in the whole of the continent.
A technically gifted midfielder, the trickster is an unbelievably good dribbler of the ball, while he also boasts sensational passing and vision as well. Arguably the most complete player that Leverkusen have produced in recent times, it’s not surprising that most of the biggest clubs in Europe are talking about the German.
Standing at just under 1.9m tall, the midfielder offers good physical attributes, which takes nothing away from his sheer brilliance on the ball. The fact that he’s also a deadly finisher can be seen from his Bundesliga numbers this season, which read 11 goals and five assists from 26 outings.
Chelsea Are Keen On Kai Havertz: Does This Move Make Sense For Lampard?
Although the £75m price-tag is undoubtedly a steep curve for any team to achieve, Frank Lampard’s ambitions for this Chelsea side probably outweigh the cost. Havertz is the exact mould of midfielder that Frank Lampard once used to be, while the prospect of pairing him up with Timo Werner would be like a dream for the Chelsea faithful.
With Lampard seemingly trying to bridge the gap that Liverpool and Manchester City have created atop the league over the last two seasons, the addition of a player like Havertz would have to be considered a true statement signing ahead of what could be a new chapter in the story of Chelsea Football Club.
