Chelsea confident of completing Havertz transfer ‘in next few days’ after Leverkusen soften stance on £80m fee
CHELSEA are ready to complete the transfer of Kai Havertz - after Bayer Leverkusen indicated they could cut their £80million valuation.
The Blues have been chasing the attacker for most of this year.
But having spent £48m on striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, plus £36m on Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech, boss Frank Lampard was playing hard ball with the Germans.
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Lamps has been given £150m to spend on players by owner Roman Abramovich this summer.
But the Chelsea boss knows he needs defensive recruits and a new keeper and must cut his cloth accordingly.
Blues are also closing in on a £60m deal for Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell.
That means he wants Havertz much lower than the initial £90m talked about by Leverkusen.
Chelsea are ready to set up a deal with a number of add-ons so they don't have to stump up so much at once, claim .
It could even see an initial figure of £60m for Havertz, who scored 18 goals for the club last term, paid by Stamford Bridge chiefs.
The West Londoners were previously told to pay £90m and given a deadline but the Bundesliga side have realised they are not going to get that much for the talented youngster.
Lamps also wants West Ham's Declan Rice and has been linked with Manchester United keeper Dean Henderson.
Having secured a Champions League berth for next season, the rookie boss, 42, will be given the ammunition to launch a serious crack at winning Chelsea's first Prem title since 2017.
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But there will be a series of departures at Stamford Bridge also.
Keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and left-back Emerson Palmieri will move on either in loan deals or permanently.
Midfielder Jorginho and even centre-back Antonio Rudiger could be surplus to requirements.