Kai Havertz has been one of the most prolific forwards in the world in recent times, and now he has attracted the interests of Manchester United. The Sun reports that the Premier League club are leading the race to bring him to Old Trafford. Moreover, Dortmund star Jadon Sancho is also on their radar with Havertz costing around £50 million. Sancho, on the other hand, is expected to be extremely expensive and the English outfit should be ready to spend around £100 million for the youngster.
What could Kai Havertz bring to United?
Bayer Leverkusen have used Havertz in multiple places across the field. In a traditional 4-2-3-1 setup, he has been placed centrally, while in a 4-3-3 formation he has been asked to operate from the right. In both cases, the German has flourished, thus establishing his adaptability. This season he has scored 11 goals in the Bundesliga from the 26 matches he has featured in and also creates five assists for his teammates.
The biggest asset of Havertz is his ability to identify spaces and run through the channels, thus making it extremely difficult for the opposition defenders to mark him. This has often helped him recognise dull situations and convert it into an advantageous position for his side. His 86.3% of successful passes is exceptionally high for an attacker and one of the primary reasons why Leverkusen have been dangerous in the final third.
The 20-year-old is a physical specimen standing at 1.89 metres and possessing an exceptional aerial ability. However, what this starlet really has is blistering space, being one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga. This speed matters a lot in counter-attacks, and if he can get past the defenders once, it becomes tough for the opposition to stop him.
However, one area that Havertz could improve is his crossing ability, with the Germany international racking a rather poor 0.2 crosses per game in the league this term. This would not be of great comfort to Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who has a knack of asking his wingers to get into crossing positions and deliver the ball to the man in the middle. His work-rate is also nothing worth mentioning about, with him hardly making any significant contributions inside his own half.
Where could he play at Man United?
With Marcus Rashford operating from the centre, it is likely that Havertz would be asked to perform from one of the flanks. However, that should not deter the German since he can very well cut inside and take a shot at the goal. This season he has taken 1.9 shots on the goal per game, keeping the opposition defenders on their toes for the entire match. The Norwegian manager can also deploy Bruno Fernandes just behind the front three, and that can give Havetz with a prudent supply line from the midfield.
The Leverkusen man is already one of the biggest stars of the world, and with time and perseverance, only the sky can be the limit for him. Securing the signature of Havetz would be a massive coup for Ed Woodward, and the board should waste no further time in getting a deal done for him.
Stats from Whoscored.
