Kai
Havertz has left Germany's training camp to fly to London ahead of a
club-record move to Chelsea.
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is set to join Chelsea from the Bundesliga
side after the clubs agreed a package of €80m plus €20m in add-ons on
Wednesday, according to Sky in Germany.
Havertz was in Stuttgart with Germany's squad for their UEFA Nations League
fixtures, having been an unused substitute as they drew 1-1 with Spain on
Thursday night.
Both Bayer Leverkusen and Germany confirmed Havertz's departure on Friday
morning, with the club thanking the national side for cooperating.
"I exchanged ideas with Oliver Bierhoff and Jogi Low over the past few
days," Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller said. "They understand
the special situation of the player and also of us as a club.
"We are grateful to the national coach that Kai can now sort things out with
our support on site in London."
It remains unclear whether Havertz will be able to rejoin Germany's squad
for Sunday's Nations League match against Switzerland.
"The future belongs to Kai - in the club and in the national team," Germany
national team director Oliver Bierhoff said. "Of course we would have
preferred if he could have fully concentrated on the national team at the
start of the new international season.
"But we are aware of the importance for Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Kai and want
to deal with it responsibly. At the same time, it is an honour and
recognition for German football when young German players are in demand at
top international clubs.
"The experience these players collect abroad - both in terms of sport and
personal development - can also benefit the national team. We were in
constant contact with Rudi Voller in order to find a good solution together.
"
Chelsea's previous club-record deal was the signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga
from Athletic Bilbao for £71.6m in 2018.
Earlier this week, Leverkusen's head coach Peter Bosz said 21-year-old
Havertz is unlikely to train for the club again as he nears a move to the
Premier League.
Havertz looks set to become Frank Lampard's seventh summer signing,
following the arrivals of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Thiago
Silva, Malang Sarr and Xavier Mbuyamba.
As part of the deal, Chelsea have offered Leverkusen the chance to sign one
of their summer arrivals, Sarr, on loan for the season.
Havertz tipped to become Chelsea superstar
German football expert Raphael Honigstein says Havertz will "dominate" the
Germany national team over the next 10 years.
"He has work to do and has things to prove because he's only just turned 21,
but he's an outstanding talent, there's absolutely no doubt about that. He's
in a position where he could dominate the German national team over the next
decade, depending on his position," he told the Transfer Talk podcast.
"Will he play in the No 10 role and become the new Mesut Ozil or will he
settle a bit deeper and become the new Toni Kroos? He's got the ability to
play almost anywhere in front of the defence.
"If you look at the unique combination he has of technical ability and eye
for a pass, but also having the ability to score and create goals himself,
and his runs to be good in the air, I think the best way to sum it up is
that he's a cross between Mesut Ozil and Michael Ballack."
What makes Havertz special?
In conversation with Kai Havertz's former coach, Adam Bate traces the
player's journey from his breakthrough season to the superstar of today,
identifying the qualities that make him so special.
Read more here ...
top