A gentleman who we already know looks good in red. | Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
The German midfielder has been linked to a move to Merseyside for months.
If, in fact, the world returns to its natural order, it appears that Kai Havertz remains a top transfer target for Liverpool in the summer. Rumors have swirled around the talented Leverkusen attacking midfielder for nearly a year linking him to a move to Merseyside.
The most recent of these is that Liverpool have offered to match the German club’s valuation for the young star, an upwards of £100million price tag that no other team is willing to match. Their competitors in the market were said to be Spanish giants Real Madrid, but the club has allegedly given up the chase, believing that Havertz’s deal with the Reds is all but done.
Klopp will be in the market for an attacking midfielder next season, should Adam Lallana be allowed to leave after the expiration of his contract in June. Is Havertz bestie material for Henderson in Lallana’s stead? Hard to say, but what isn’t difficult to know is that the German is an exceptional player who has risen to be one of the biggest prospects in Europe.
Liverpool’s midfield has been its one weak link in an otherwise extraordinary (for so many reasons) season. Naby Keita has failed to impress after his much anticipated move to the club. Xherdan Shaqiri has been injured and clearly not favored by the boss, even when he is fit. Klopp’s preferred midfield is Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, and Fabinho. While Fabinho, at his height, was one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, he, along with Henderson, has missed whole swathes of the season through injury.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has made inroads in regaining the competitive edge since returning, but he’s lacked a consistency of performances that would help him gain momentum and earn a spot in the starting XI. James Milner has finally begun showing his age, with the years catching up to him in the form of muscle injuries. When he does play, Klopp prefers him in a more defensive role, which means he wouldn’t fit that hole higher up that will need to be filled.
Havertz would be an excellent addition to the team. He’s only 20-years-old but already plays for the German National Team, so his profile fits what the transfer committee usually looks for in acquired talent. While the club, like anyone else, prefers a bargain, they have made it clear that they will shell out the cash if they think a player is worth it.
Considering their Champions League prize money and the fact that they did very little business in the last two windows, chances are we’ll see some power moves from the club in the summer.
