Chelsea Expected to Complete Kai Havertz Signing After Progress in Talks
By Tom Gott
Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz this summer, with both a transfer fee and personal terms thought to have been effectively agreed.
Frank Lampard has already landed Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner from Ajax and RB Leipzig respectively in an attempt to bolster his forward line, but his determination to close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table has seen him push for more signings.
Havertz has been close to the top of Lampard's wish list for a few months, and Chelsea have long been seen as the favourites to get a deal done. Now, confirmed by The Athletic's David Ornstein and prominent Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, there might not be too long to wait until an agreement is reached.
The 21-year-old has already decided that he wants to leave Leverkusen this summer, but given the impact of the coronavirus outbreak has crippled the financial side of football, his list of suitors is not as long as it perhaps should be.
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all failed to come close to Leverkusen's asking price, which was understood to be around €100m (£91m). Chelsea valued Havertz at closer to the £70m mark, and it looks as though their firm stance in the negotiations has paid off.
It is believed that the two sides are close to agreeing a fee worth up to €80m (£73m) after add-ons, but the final structure of that is not yet clear. It could be €70m plus €10m or €65m plus €15m, with Chelsea pushing for the lowest upfront fee possible in an attempt to save money.
In terms of Havertz's salary, Chelsea are not concerned about being able to meet his demands, so only minor details are left to finalise.
The German had been keen on a move to Real, but talks with Lampard have helped convince him that Chelsea's project is one he should want to be part of - a tactic which also worked in the pursuit of Werner.
Chelsea are well aware that the deal will almost certainly force them to sell players in order to balance the books, and that's before you consider they are still looking to add a new left-back and centre-back. Leicester City's Ben Chilwell, who is the Blues' top defensive target, is valued at £70m alone.
Several fringe players in the first team are expected to be offloaded, with the likes of Emerson and Michy Batshuayi being pushed towards the exit door to raise some money.