Chelsea forward Kai Havertz is wanted by Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, according to a new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Did Havertz have a good season for Chelsea?
The German joined the Blues back in the summer of 2020 from Bayer Leverkusen, famously scoring the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City.
It's fair to say that Havertz has blown a little hot and cold in a Chelsea shirt overall, however, with his performances not always matching his top-class levels of talent. This season, the £150,000-a-week attacker only scored seven times in 35 Premier League appearances, and while that was still more than any other Blues player, he still didn't offer enough leading the line.
It has led to queastion marks surrounding the 23-year-old's long-term future at Stamford Bridge, even though his current deal runs until the summer of 2025. Much may depend on how happy he is in west London currently, and whether Mauricio Pochettino sees him as a key figure.
Could Havertz join Real Madrid this summer?
Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that Madrid are keen on acquiring Havertz's signature before the beginning of next season, with Carlo Ancelotti a big fan of his:
"Real Madrid have concrete interest in Kai Havertz. He’s one of the players in the list, really appreciated by Ancelotti. Understand Chelsea are open to discuss Havertz exit but they want important fee, no way for loan & similar."
Havertz leaving Chelsea would be a blow, especially if Pochettino considers him someone who he can build his team around. With Mason Mount looking likely to leave, it could even be that he is used in a No.10 role behind an elite striker who comes in, such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen, who has been linked with the Blues a number of times in recent months.
Granted, the 34-cap and 12-goal Germany international hasn't always performed at a consistently high level, but he remains a young player with a huge amount of potential. He was once described as "world-class" by Matthias Sammer during his Bundesliga days, so to lose him to Madrid at this point in his career would be a setback.
The hope is that Havertz is buoyed by the appointment of Pochettino and sees his future there for the time being, going up a gear under the Argentine next season and fulfilling his talent in the process.