Kai Havertz has reportedly told Chelsea he will not be signing a new contract as the £70 million-rated Germany international eyes up a potential move to Premier League rivals Arsenal.
The forward’s staggering price-tag is, in truth, less a reflection of how he has performed during three years at Stamford Bridge, and more of the financial mess Chelsea appear to have got themselves in.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side must raise ‘substantial’ funds this summer in order to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions; the inevitable by-product of £300 million-plus January splurge, per The Times.
As such, a seemingly-desperate Chelsea are reported to be demanding fees in the £70 million bracket for Mason Mount and Kai Havertz amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, in the hope that a couple of top-flight rivals can help ease their monetary concerns.
Arsenal hope to strike Kai Havertz deal with Chelsea
At least United can negotiate from a position of strength; Mount’s contract expiring next summer and the England midfielder refusing to sign a new one.
Havertz, according to ESPN, has ‘informed’ Chelsea that he has no plans to put pen to paper either. But with his deal expiring in 2025, Chelsea are not under quite so much immediate pressure to cash in after rejecting an opening offer from London neighbours Arsenal.
Havertz is keen on a move to the Emirates (Fabrizio Romano). But while Arsenal may be willing to match his £220,000-a-week wages, the same cannot be said of that £70 million price-tag.
A fee which is almost identical to the one Chelsea paid Bayer Leverkusen back in 2020, when the 24-year-old’s reputation was in a much better place.
‘Reminds me of Robin van Persie’
Once arguably the Bundesliga’s stand-out young talent, Havertz has underwhelmed in England. He’s scored fewer than 20 goals in 91 Premier League appearances, and there remains doubts about where he would fit into an Arsenal side who do not tend to operate with a natural ‘number ten’.
Then again, Mikel Arteta does like versatile, tactically-flexible players capable of featuring in various roles and the Gunners boss will be hoping Havertz can thrive in a manner similar to that of Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard.
Thierry Henry, meanwhile, sees similarities between Havertz and another Arsenal icon; Robin van Persie.
“He reminds me sometimes of Robin. (With his) back to goal, the way he can hold the ball,” Henry tells CBS Sports.
“Robin van Persie was very good with his left foot. The touch was always immaculate and he tried to bring people along.
“This is why out of the guys that used to be wingers or No.10 he plays as a nine because with his back to goal he can hold the ball well. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him.”
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