Soccer

Chelsea smash club record with fee in excess of €80m for Kai Havertz

Blues land Leverkusen’s Germany international to bring summer spend above €224m

Kai Havertz wanted to leave Leverkusen after the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. Photograph: Getty

Ed Aarons and Fabrizio Romano
Mon Aug 31 2020 - 17:34

Chelsea have agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen to sign Kai Havertz for an initial club record fee of €80 million (£72 million) that will take their summer spending on transfers past €224 million (£200 million).

Negotiations over the Germany international have been continuing for several weeks after Havertz had made it clear he wanted to leave Leverkusen following their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

An initial bid of €65 million plus €15 million in add-ons was rejected in July but it is understood that Chelsea have now agreed a deal that will surpass the club record (€80.1 million) paid for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018 if add-ons are included.

Leverkusen will receive €80 million up front plus another €10 million, with a further €10 million potentially payable if a number of complicated clauses are met – including if Chelsea win the Champions League over the next five years – while Havertz has already agreed personal terms on a five-year contract.

READ MORE

Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz also confirmed on Monday that Havertz will no longer train with the squad due to his impending move.

"Unfortunately, our squad has not yet been determined," he said. "I don't expect Kevin Volland and Kai Havertz to train with us again. It is possible that other players will also change. We definitely need to bring in players."

Volland is expected to join Monaco, with Havertz becoming Frank Lampard's sixth summer signing after the arrivals of Hakim Ziyech for €41 million, Timo Werner for €41 million, Ben Chilwell for €56 million and defenders Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr on free transfers.

Palace close in on Conor Gallagher

The 21-year-old joined the Germany squad in Stuttgart on Monday before the Nations League fixtures against Spain on Thursday and Switzerland on Sunday. Havertz has made 118 Bundesliga appearances since making his debut in October 2016. Leverkusen have already targeted Roma's Patrick Schick having offered €28 million for the Czech Republic forward.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are set to sign Conor Gallagher on a season-long loan. The England Under-21 international came on as a substitute in Chelsea's friendly against Brighton on Saturday but completed a medical at Palace on Sunday and will provide competition in Roy Hodgson's midfield having spent last season on loan at Charlton. – Guardian

LATEST STORIES