Chelsea appear to be one step closer to signing Kai Havertz after agreeing a five-year contract worth around £346,000-a-week with the Bayer Leverkusen star, according to reports today.
Frank Lampard has already snapped-up winger Hakim Ziyech and striker Timo Werner this summer but the Chelsea boss is keen to further strengthen his squad as he looks to build a side capable of competing for major honours next season.
Havertz has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge all summer with widespread reports over the past few weeks suggesting that Chelsea have been locked in negotiations with Leverkusen trying to thrash out a deal.
It looks like Chelsea are now one step closer to signing Havertz as the Guardian claims that the 21-year-old attacking midfielder has agreed terms over a five-year contract with the Blues.
The report suggests that Havertz will earn around £346,000-a-week at Chelsea which works out at £90m over the course of the five-year contract.
All that remains if for a fee to be agreed between the two clubs but the Guardian says Chelsea will have to increase their offer after seeing an opening bid worth £58.6m plus £13.25m in add-ons rejected by Leverkusen who are demanding £90m.
Popular reports claim that Havertz has made it clear to Leverkusen that he wants to join Chelsea as soon as possible so he can get settled in England ahead of the new season amid reports the German side want things settled before August 28th.
We’ll have to wait and see how negotiations progress over the coming days but it looks increasingly likely that Havertz will become Chelsea’s third major signing of the summer transfer window.
The German international would be a hugely exciting addition to Lampard’s squad as he’s developed into one of the best young players in world football since breaking into the Leverkusen first team in 2016.
Havertz has already provided 45 goals and 31 assists in his 148 appearances for Leverkusen and is expected to go on to become one of the leading attackers in world football so it would be a major coup if Chelsea can get this proposed deal over the line.
Lampard already has talented young attacking midfielders such as Christian Pulisic, Ziyech, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley in his ranks but Havertz would arguably be the most exciting of the lot.