Chelsea forward Kai Havertz could lose his place in Graham Potter’s first-choice XI if the club are successful in their pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku.
What’s the word?
That is according to Simon Phillips, who believes that the German could be a victim of the 24-year-old’s mooted switch to Stamford Bridge, with a pre-contract agreement reportedly signed and a move to the Blues in 2023 close to being finalised, as per The Athletic.
When asked who was most at risk of their place in the side if Nkunku’s expected move goes through, the journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “I’d fear for Kai Havertz because he still hasn’t ‘made it’ at Chelsea yet and we need to see much more quality and consistency from him.”
Fear for Havertz
In truth, Havertz has failed to find any real consistency at Stamford Bridge since arriving at Chelsea in 2020.
The 23-year-old’s highest return in the Premier League campaign is eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances last term, with this coming as a result of a positional change to centre-forward courtesy of Romelu Lukaku’s demise.
The Germany international has failed to match the numbers which earned him a £75.8m move from Bayer Leverkusen, with his career best tally of 17 goals and three assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances in 2018/19 demonstrative of the calibre of player that Chelsea thought they were getting.
The £150k-per-week star has indeed had his moments, delivering in the Champions League final when it mattered for the Blues, but has failed to deliver on a consistent basis.
As we approach the World Cup, which takes us almost straight through to the January transfer window, it means that Havertz has just over a month to find consistency under Potter before contemplating whether to stick or twist at the club.
His goal in the 3-0 win against Wolves last Saturday is a positive sign, but he needs to be chipping in with more consistent returns. He showed that he can do so against England last month, bagging a well-taken brace in a 3-3 draw in the UEFA Nations League.
Whether he can take inspiration from Erling Haaland – who has thrived even more since departing the Bundesliga – remains to be seen, but the second half of the season could prove crucial for the 23-year-old’s Chelsea future.
