Kai Havertz could be wearing the Chelsea shirt soon as more signs emerged that the Bundesliga sensation is closing on the deal to play next for the Premier League giants. Reports said the 21-year-old skipped Bayer Leverkusen's fitness test on Sunday, firing up speculations that his transfer talks are set for wrapping up soon.
Media reports in Germany said the young playmaker's absence from Leverkusen's weekend training session could be another proof of side-switching to transpire in the coming days. Chelsea fans are bracing for the expected announcement this week that will make the transfer official, which will make Havertz the most expensive German acquisition to date.
According to Metro, the attacking midfielder has already agreed on a five-year contract with Blues boss Frank Lampard and the rest of the terms will be finalized shortly. It is understood as well that Chelsea will make an upfront payment of £72 million to Leverkusen and the balance will be paid in the form of bonuses.
The deal will amount to £90 million, which is the price tag demanded by the German side for the release of Havertz. It appeared that details of the transfer deal have been sorted out and it's only a matter of time before the youngster is allowed to travel in West London.
Stamford Bridge is expected to provide an update on the matter soon although Lampard has made clear that the roster changes for next season will not automatically translate to the Blues winning titles.
The manager said that even with talents like Timo Werner and Havertz, who made a splash in Germany last season with record goal numbers, it will take time for the trophies to start coming in. Chelsea fans will need to manage their expectations, Lampard advised.
"We need to be careful of getting too far ahead of ourselves because we need to give time to players to come in and adapt, to the way I want us to play and to their teammates," Express reported the Blues head coach as saying.
He reminded that it is only his second season on the job and that the rebuilding he implemented on the squad will not make an impact overnight. Chelsea will certainly make a run for the Premier League title but Lampard said the top contenders remain to be Liverpool and Manchester City.
The two have been the dominant sides in the league in the last three seasons with City winning the crown in seasons 2017-18 and 2018-19 while the Reds capturing the title this 2020.
Lampard said he is optimistic about Chelsea's greater chance in the upcoming season and pointed out that the arrival of new players - Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, and possibly Havertz - will be a huge boost for the Blues campaign of winning trophies again.
