Rudi Voller’s praise shows why Tottenham Hotspur must sign ‘exceptional’ Kai Havertz

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Bayer Leverkusen’s teenage prodigy Kai Havertz is arguably Germany’s most exciting teenager – he’s also been scouted by Spurs

To give you an indication of just how far Kai Havertz has come in his short career so far, the prodigious playmaker was forced to miss Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid in March because he had to take his school exams.

Clearly, Leverkusen’s youngest ever Bundesliga debutant is some talent. He became a regular in the club’s first-team at the age of 17, not only featuring frequently from the start but also earning rave reviews with a number of exceptional displays.

Havertz, likened to Leverkusen legend Michael Ballack and a keen admirer of Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, scored five and set up four in 15 Bundesliga starts in a remarkable breakthrough season. So far in 2017/18, he has three assists to his name already.

And, when tying the teenager down to 2022 with a new five-year contract back in July, sporting director Rudi Voller could hardly hide his glee.

‘Exceptional abilities’

“Kai has exceptional abilities and is already blessed with a footballing maturity that sets him apart from other players of his age,” Völler told the official Bundesliga website of Havertz, who was awarded the prestigious Fritz Walter Medal as Germany’s second best under-17 player in 2016.

“He is technically good, dangerous in front of goal, and good with his head. After his great start in professional football, we want to push Kai’s development even further. He has huge potential, which will come to the fore even more in the coming years.”

Though the ink is still drying on a long-term Leverkusen contract, Tottenham Hotspur are still keeping tabs on one of the world’s top young talents.

Sky Sports report that Spurs have sent scouts to watch the Germany Under-18 international, whose creativity, confidence and unlimited potential appears to make him a perfect fit for Mauricio Pochettino.

And if the comments of Voller, one of the greatest players in German football history, are anything to go by, Spurs should not be afraid to put a huge sum on the table for a player who emerged as one of the country’s biggest prospects, and completed his exams, in a stellar 2017.