Chelsea are set to face a major blow in their transfer pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, who apparently favours a move to Real Madrid.
According to Sport Buzzer, as cited by The Sun, Chelsea could be on the verge of losing out in their pursuit of Kai Havertz. The Bayer Leverkusen playmaker has emerged as a hot prospect in the transfer market, with a multitude of top clubs across Europe, including Barcelona and Manchester United courting his services.
However, the report suggests that Havertz favours a switch to Real Madrid. The German international is apparently keen on following the footsteps of his compatriot Toni Kroos, who has been hugely successful since his move to Santiago Bernabeu back in 2014.
It could serve as a major blow for Chelsea, who were keen on securing the services of the Bayer Leverkusen star this summer.
The Blues have shown a lot of ambition in the transfer market so far, having notably signed Hakim Ziyech from Ajax earlier this year. While the Moroccan international is also a playmaker, Havertz was seen as a more of an upgrade over Mason Mount as manager Frank Lampard looks to enhance the overall quality of the side.
Speaking of quality, Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Timo Werner in recent weeks. The RB Leipzig striker is expected to arrive at Stamford Bridge next season – a move that could potentially add a whole new dimension to the club’s attacking unit.
As for Real Madrid, however, they seem to be profiting from Bayern Munich reportedly pulling out from the chase to sign Havertz this summer. The Bavarians are apparently more interested in signing long-term target Leroy Sane, even though Havertz himself had reportedly favoured a move to Allianz Arena earlier this year.
Nonetheless, the potential arrival of the German international could significantly boost the creative department of Zinedine Zidane.
The Spanish giants have lacked essence in the creative unit, especially with Eden Hazard enduring a rough start to his La Liga career. In addition, Marco Asensio has missed the entire campaign till date due to injury while the likes of Isco has failed to make an impression on a consistent basis.
Havertz, in that regard, should add some much-needed quality and could even be considered as a potential replacement for the ageing Luka Modric. He can operate in the additional midfield slot of Zidane’s 4-3-3 alongside Kroos and Casemiro.
However, with the transfer window yet to reopen, there is bound to be some drama involved in Havertz’s transfer saga within the coming weeks, which means Real Madrid must act swiftly if they are to get their hands on this prized playmaker this summer.