Reports suggest Arsenal want to sign Chelsea’s Kai Havertz; linked with Real Madrid

Sometimes, following the transfer window is akin to watching a circus performer spin plates while juggling three baseballs jumping up and down on a unicycle as a pair of elephants swish their joint trunks into the air like a skipping rope. It’s an impossibly difficult task, with chemically unstable scenarios and lies mixed with truths stuck in between inventions that come out of leaked information and social media chatter. If you can keep up with it all, then perhaps a new hobby is needed.

The latest product of the window, truth or otherwise, is the link between Kai Havertz and Arsenal. The London side finished second in the Premier League last season after a late wobble allowed the blonde-haired bullet train to come shooting past and claim one third of an historic treble. Reinforcements at the Emirates Stadium are expected, with the name of Declan Rice being one of the standout players in Europe linked with the club. The latest, however, is Havertz.

Real Madrid were keen on Havertz, who wants to leave

The German midfielder had been, until now, linked with a move to Spanish side, Real Madrid. The breakup of Karim Benzema and the Santiago Bernabéu side sent names flying in all directions like a dropped box of shooting stars and for a moment, it looked as though Los Blancos were going to spice up their already crazy start to a summer window with a host of high profile incomings. Havertz was the rebound.

And an expensive one at that. Chelsea’s price tag stuck on Kai Havertz’s head has sat at around $88 million: clearly not some random coins you find in the top drawer of the kitchen cupboard next to the egg timer and tin opener. The Guardian reports that Kai has told Chelsea of his desire to leave the club and as such, given that his contract finishes in 2025, the possibility of getting a big fee for the player will only diminish as time goes on.

Will Chelsea sell Havertz to Arsenal?

Chelsea have spent over £600m on players since last summer using Todd Boehly’s TARDIS pockets and extendo-arms that reach all the way to the bottom. They need to recoup some of that money in order to comply with Financial Fair Play and selling Havertz, a player who clearly has a lot of interested parties, could be a sure-fire way to make a quick buck; whether or not they would sell to a direct rival, and a city one at that, is another question althogether.

The Blues, as you might expect, have their own targets this summer, with players such as Lautaro Martínez, Gabri Veiga and Neymar (what could possibly go wrong?) all being mentioned as potential targets. Because that’s exactly what they need, more attackers.