Arsenal have lodged a new and improved verbal offer to Chelsea for forward Kai Havertz this summer, according to recent reports. The Germany international appears set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after three-years in west London, where he has found consistency hard to come by.
A Champions League-winning goal over Manchester City in Porto back in 2021 will certainly be a highlight of his time for the Blues, though there were struggles with finding his ideal place in the team. There were also problems with scoring, with Havertz failing to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.
With just two-years remaining on his contract, the 24-year-old faced a crossroads in deciding to stay and sign an extension or face an exit. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have been heavily linked with a switch, however it's Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal that have entered the race.
football.london understands that the Gunners hold an interest in Havertz this summer, but don't intend to meet the £70million valuation set by their London counterpart. The former Bayer Leverkusen star could offer cover across the front line as well as in midfield if required.
At this stage, the only thing delaying a further push to get a deal done may be the international break, as the forward is away with Germany. However, there is said to be hope that Arsenal can swiftly reach an agreement with the Blues over a final fee to secure the signing.
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According to the Daily Mail, they're doing just that as a new offer worth a total of £60million has been made, broken into £55million in guaranteed fees and £5million in add-ons. The report adds that a broad agreement has been reached with the player himself over personal terms for a contract.
His stance appears to be one of wanting the move to Arsenal too, which may only drive the transfer further forward towards a conclusion. It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will accept the new verbal offer, before any finer details are drawn up, given that it falls short of the current valuation.
However, for all parties involved, it could work out to be a switch that is ideal ahead of a big summer transfer window in the capital city.
