Why €80m Kai Havertz is money well spent

By Elijah Odetokun

Frank Lampard’s Chelsea, having survived a transfer ban and departure of star man Eden Hazard to secure a top-four finish that guarantees Champions League football at Stamford Bridge next season, are back in the transfer market.

They have signed Hakim Ziyech from AFC Ajax, Timo Werner from RB Leipzig. Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr as free agents from French clubs PSG and Nice respectively. They also recently secured the signing of German youngster Kai Havertz from Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

The speculations and eventual signing of Havertz were met with mixed reactions by the fans of the club, while many agree it is a needed signing, a few have expressed concern over the €80m transfer fee of the German international.

Kai Havertz is a 21year old German footballer who plays primarily as an attacking midfielder and can also play as a central midfielder, a winger on both sides, and also as a striker. He’s a full German international having represented the country at all youth levels and has eight senior caps, according to reports by Daily Times.

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In the style of play, he is likened to fellow compatriots Mesut Ozil, Michael Ballack, Toni Kroos, and Chilean Arturo Vidal, all of whom represented Bayer Leverkusen except the former. He is a technical player with both feet and also good in the air. The German media describes him as an Alleskonner; a player who can do everything.

Chelsea was boosted in their pursuit of Havertz when Bayern Munich and Real Madrid opted out of signing him due to financial constraints imposed by the Covid-19 global pandemic, and Chelsea having not signed earlier have money to meet the requirements of signing him. It presented Chelsea the opportunity of not letting a generational talent who is also interested in the new era project of Frank Lampard at Chelsea slip out of their hands.

Havertz would not necessarily be in direct competition with any of Pulisic, Ziyech, Werner, Mount, and other Chelsea attacking options but would be a complement because his versatility would allow him to be in the team at different positions.

For a player of Havertz’s quality and versatility who would not turn 22 until the end of the next English Premier League season, and would also command a good transfer fee in the future, €80m is and would be money well spent.