Signing Kai Havertz wasn’t easy. Nor was it just a solitary summer’s labour, because
Chelsea put a great deal of time and effort into luring the 21 year old to West London.
In fact, the pursuit began over a year ago, when they were preparing for FIFA’s transfer
ban to take effect.
Chelsea were going to make amends for their inability to spend over the next two windows
by making ambitious moves for some of the finest players in the game. And, by that point,
Havertz had already been watched on numerous occasions.
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United had all made contact
with the player’s representatives over the previous 18 months to gauge whether they could
be at the front of the queue whenever Havertz decided to leave Bayer Leverkusen.
Chelsea knew they had to do the same and, as understood by The Athletic, conversations
were initiated around late April/early May 2019. It was made very clear the club had
an ambitious project in mind, that they would be spending very heavily once acquisitions
could be made again and Havertz was very much in their thoughts. There has been some form
of contact between the two camps ever since.
Still, it has taken a combination of a lot of work, skill and luck to make the switch
happen.
Bayer Leverkusen’s £107.6 million asking price in the summer of 2019 was sufficient
to scare away any other suitors.
Even Bayern Munich, who had gone into great detail with the German international over
where he would fit into their team and tactical shape. Surprisingly Bayern never actually
ended up making an official offer for Havertz this year either, preferring to spend £40.9
million on Manchester City’s Leroy Sane instead, and gambling on Thomas Muller’s
continued renaissance.
Manchester United also gave a noteworthy presentation of their own last year, but it didn’t go
any further. Perhaps because they made a move for Bruno Fernandes in January and then focused
on a different Bundesliga starlet in Jadon Sancho.
It is believed Real Madrid were Havertz’s preferred destination for a long period though.
The glamour of the Bernabeu is hard to ignore for many and even when Chelsea began stepping
up their efforts earlier this year, there was a suspicion he was just waiting for the
La Liga club to make a move.
So how did Chelsea emerge victorious?
The heavy impact on football finances caused by COVID-19 certainly played a part and the
likes of Real Madrid and Bayern hoped Havertz might stay at Bayer Leverkusen another season
and put something in place to join them the following year.
But Havertz felt the time had come to leave Bayer, especially after they failed to qualify
for the Champions League. As far as he was concerned, he had outgrown the team and needed
another challenge. And, with two years remaining on his contract, Bayer Leverkusen weren’t
willing to run the risk of his valuation decreasing.
It’s fair to say the timing couldn’t have gone any better for Chelsea, who still had
sizeable funds in place. But it would be wrong to suggest Havertz has merely settled for
a move to the best option available.
Meeting Bayer Leverkusen’s €100 million asking price was always going to be difficult
and it is understood that in June, Chelsea’s director and main negotiator Marina Granovskaia
felt the two clubs were a long way from an agreement.
But importantly, the club sent a significant message to Havertz by signing fellow Germany
international Timo Werner from RB Leipzig for £47 million. With the signature of Hakim
Ziyech secured in February, too, it showed Chelsea were living up to their promise to
be ambitious.
Then Frank Lampard got involved. He’s proving to be Chelsea’s ace in the pack in the market.
His powers of persuasion were used to good effect with both Ziyech and Werner. Now Havertz’s
name can be added to the list.
He reached out towards the end of the Bundesliga season and made a strong impression. He laid
out his vision of attacking football with young players at the fore, explaining how
he was in the process of building a new team and Havertz was going to be one of its lynchpins.
There was a feeling of freshness, a club with a growing momentum, and it was something Havertz
wanted to be a part of. By the end of the conversation, he was full of excitement; he
was convinced Chelsea were going to be a lot of fun.
Other options weren’t as appealing. Real Madrid and Barcelona both have ageing squads
and a range of issues, allowing Chelsea to come across as the more enticing adventure.
Granovskaia has naturally been key to the negotiations, too. Agreement over a final
fee was difficult to find, but a breakthrough of sorts was made in the past three weeks
when she met with Leverkusen officials in the south of France.
Leverkusen were aware Granovskaia had a reputation for being charming, but they were determined
not to fall for it or to allow a reduction in €100 million fee. The Bundesliga club’s
chief executive Fernando Carro is a tough negotiator, too, and his background outside
of football – he was formerly CEO of a major business-to-business logistics company – made
him a formidable opponent.
It explains why the transfer took so long and why, with it now complete, both sides
are claiming victory.
Chelsea will reportedly pay an initial figure of over £62 million plus add-ons. Bayer Leverkusen
won’t reveal the structure of the deal, but they’re confident of receiving the full
asking price over time.
Given Kai Havertz’s deserved reputation and his rare combination of abilities, the
real winner was always likely to be whichever side he ended playing for. And, after an eighteen-month
pursuit, that privilege – and this coup - belongs to Chelsea, Lampard, and Granovskaia.