Arsenal submit opening proposal to sign Kai Havertz

Arsenal have made a move towards acquiring the services of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, according to The Athletic.

Havertz has two years left on his current deal and Chelsea would ideally love to sell him should he fail to sign a contract extension.

Following the departure of Karim Benzema, Real Madrid were previously linked with a move for Havertz but have since been put off by Chelsea’ asking price of around £75 million.

While it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will face the same problem, Mikel Arteta’s men have shown a clear interest in landing Havertz to bolster their squad in the upcoming transfer window.

Speaking on his Chelsea future last month, the German stated his love for life in the English capital and would not have to worry about changing cities with respect to joining Arsenal.

“I still have a 2-year contract, I don’t have to move every 2-3 years,” Havertz said (via @iMiaSanMia).

“My girlfriend and I feel very comfortable in London – I love the club, the people and the fans.”

Havertz is capable of playing multiple positions across the frontline and that versatility could come in handy for Arsenal next season with the Gunners aiming to mount another title charge after ending the last campaign as runners-up to Manchester City.

Having endured a largely disappointing three-year stint at Stamford Bridge, Havertz has failed to live up to the expectations that prompted Chelsea to fork out a then club-record fee of £75.8m to sign him from Bayer Leverkusen.

However, a move to Arsenal could represent a turning point in the 24-year-old’s career based on the evidence from last season where Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard all enjoyed their best top-flight campaigns to date.

With the transfer window now officially open, more movement is expected on the Havertz front in the coming weeks as both Chelsea and Arsenal prepare for what is set to be a busy summer.