Kai-Havertz will join Arsenal from Chelsea for a reported £60 million plus an additional £5 million.
After a largely disappointing time at Stamford Bridge for the Germany forward, Havertz has set his sights on signing a long-term contract with the Premier League runners-up from last season rather than going back to the Bundesliga.
He joined from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2020 for an initial club record fee of £72 million and was regarded as one of Europe’s most promising young talents.
The fact that he was used as a central striker, which is not his preferred position, contributed significantly to his underwhelming performance overall at Chelsea, despite some brief moments of brilliance.
The 24-year-old’s departure is a part of a reorganization of Chelsea’s team that also saw Mateo Kovacic transfer to Manchester City for £25 million and N’Golo Kanté sign a free transfer to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.
Mikel Arteta has long admired Kai-Havertz and thinks he can help his team close the gap on City.
Declan Rice’s entry is anticipated to come after his. West Ham turned down Arsenal’s second offer of £90 million on Tuesday, but they should soon sign the midfielder, most likely for £100 million.
