Kai Havertz or Jadon Sancho: Assessing Who Should Be Considered the Better Player

*TRANSFER SAGAS ALERT*

Even before football properly returns from a three-month hiatus, a pair of blockbusting transfer 'sagas' involving two of the finest talents this continent has to offer are already starting to unravel.

The futures of both Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz have been thrust into the unknown as a result of the unprecedented financial strains brought about by COVID-19, with the former's exit from Borussia Dortmund this summer now not looking so clear-cut, while the latter's seemingly inevitable move to Bayern Munich could be hijacked by an ambitious Roman Abramovich - who still has a sh*t ton of cash at his disposal...as exemplified by his £95m purchase of Munch's 'The Scream' recently.

Nevertheless, instead of just merely appreciating the talent of both of these, dare I say it, generational stars, a comparison is a must! We must know who's superior! How boring is it just accepting these two as great in their own right?

It's not what we do.

Thus, with both potentially strutting their stuff in the Premier League next season, here's our definitive assessment of who's the better player...

Creativity

Creativity is a fairly abstract term in the football world in that assist tallies, 'key passes' and chances created shouldn't merely define one's creative prowess.

Instead, a player's vision, spatial awareness (more on that later), ball manipulation and capacity to progress play should all be assessed - among many others, may I add.

Sancho's stand out attribute is undoubtedly his ability in one-v-one situations and the ease at which he's able to bypass a defender as a result of his unpredictability in possession and masterful ball manipulation with both feet.

The 19-year-old's supreme vision and impressive decision-making, meanwhile, have helped him towards a gargantuan 16 assist haul this term.

Havertz's creativity revolves around his movement and his ability to take up positions in the half-spaces to aid his side's ball progression through the thirds. On the ball, his 6'2 build and athleticism mean he's also adept in one-v-one situations, while his impressive vision allows him to locate the optimal decision in the final third and he's blessed with the requisite technique to execute more often than not.

Overall, although Havertz is somewhat underrated from a creative standpoint, this one just has to go to Sancho, you just can't ignore his production.

Versatility

Ever since he burst onto the Bundesliga scene as a 17-year-old, Havertz has been known for his ability to play a multitude of roles.

While he's arguably at his best in a shadow striker role, early on in his career he was deployed out wide and Peter Bosz has utilised him as a crafty false nine since the return of the German top flight last month.

Sure, Sancho may well be adept off either flank and comfortable occupying the space between the lines, but Havertz does it to a greater extent. The 21-year-old's so comfortable at receiving in almost every zone on the pitch and has proved he can play various roles to an incredibly high standard.

Finishing

Both have matured into prolific producers in front of goal ever since they stepped foot onto the senior stage. Sancho has 29 Bundesliga goals since the start of last season, while Havertz has notched 28 in the same time frame.

The Englishman also pips his German counterpart in the underlying numbers as well; Sancho's shot on target percentage (53.8%) and goals per shot (0.33) are both superior to Havertz's - which sit at 45.8% and 0.21 respectively.

However, after refreshing my memory via a swift 'Jadon Sancho/Kai Havertz All Goals' search on YouTube, it's pretty clear the German has much more variety with his finishes.

Whether it be deft dinks over the keeper, first-time strikes arriving late into the box or audacious half-volleys, Havertz is capable of scoring a range of goals, while he's also remarkably composed from the spot and has a knack of pulling off the spectacular.

Sancho, meanwhile, has evolved into a transition demon at BVB and a player who often rounds off rapid breaks in fairly simple one-on-one situations. Either that or he's utilising his intelligent movement inside the area to work an easier chance from close range.

Thus, while the numbers would point towards the Englishman, it's Havertz's variety which gives him the slight edge here.

Space Exploitation

A fairly ambiguous concept and one the average Joe might not take into account in their assessment of either player, but it's a key part of both Havertz and Sancho's respective games.

Both are incredibly intelligent players who often find themselves in dangerous positions on the pitch as a result of their astute movement.

Although Sancho is a fairly typical winger, in that he likes to hug the flank and isolate his marker one-on-one, he's also brilliant at drifting infield to exploit the space between the lines and interchange with the likes of Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt to befuddle opposing backlines.

Havertz though, appears to be the second coming of Thomas Müller with his ability to recognise and exploit space.

The Leverkusen man is seemingly always aware of the weak point in an opponents defensive structure and exposes at the most opportune of times. For example, he often occupies the half-space - an area on the pitch many formations don't cover - very effectively.

Havertz's movement isn't limited to the build-up phase either. Like Sancho, he's also able to use it to devastating effect in the box and his anticipation of where the space will open up inside the area has contributed to his impressive goalscoring tally at a senior level.

Defensive Nous

There's no room for Havertz to hide from a defensive perspective playing under Dutchman Bosz - whose principles out of possession are heavily influenced by both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

From whatever position, the German serves a key function in Die Werkself's intense high and counter-presses.

On the other hand, Sancho has played in a system which isn't so reliant on relentless pressure. Lucien Favre's pressing strategy at Dortmund is opponent-dependent.

Nevertheless, the England international isn't a major contributor defensively - although he's certainly not lazy either - and is often left higher up the pitch to wreak havoc in transition.

There isn't much to split the two here, but due to his imposing physical presence and the fact he's currently working under Bosz probably gives Havertz the edge once more.

Overall

Two majestic talents who genuinely have the capacity to go on and define an era, but there can only be one winner here.

And although it may seem pretty clear who the victor is with Havertz coming out on top in four of the five above categories, it's certainly not as transparent as it appears.

Sancho's creativity alone makes it understandable as to why many regard him as the superior talent, but Havertz's masterful space exploitation, athleticism, versatility and technique mean he's more complete and the 'better' of the two.

Still, I wouldn't exactly be put off a move for the England international if I were United. That boy can play a bit too.