Arsenal make SHOCK move for Chelsea flop

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 14 Jun 2023 20:31 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal could swoop for Chelsea’s Kai Havertz as they look to strengthen their squad for Champions League football next season.

Despite scoring the Blues’ winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final, Havertz has flattered to deceive since switching to Stamford Bridge three years ago.

And that has prompted rumours of an exit this summer – with Real Madrid somewhat surprisingly linked with the 24-year-old German international as a replacement for the departing Karim Benzema.

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According to numerous reports, though, Arsenal are also keen on Havertz – who joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen for €80m (around £70m), making him the most expensive German player of all time – but they could face further competition from Bayern Munich.

If Mikel Arteta and co. are hoping to sign Havertz for a knockdown price, however, they may be disappointed: the Blues are said to be aiming to recoup the aforementioned outlay.

Arsenal have only ever spent more than that on a signing once, to bring in Nicolas Pepe from Lille in 2019 – and he hasn’t exactly been value for money…

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The next chapter?

Our in-house Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) model currently rates Havertz at €71.1m (£60.7m), and Chelsea might well have to lower their demands to that kind of mark if they are seriously looking to offload Havertz this summer.

And perhaps a fresh start is just what Havertz needs to kickstart his career: in theory, he’s still not reached his peak, and he could be an extremely valuable asset if utilised properly in the right tactical set-up.

That hasn’t been the case at Chelsea, who too often seem to have treated him like an out-an-out number nine – something his return of 32 goals in 139 appearances suggests is very much not the case.