Rumour Mongering: Kai Havertz Working Towards New Leverkusen Deal

With football on hold as the world battles to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the most obvious result is that no games are being played. But games aren’t the only thing being impacted, with reports in recent weeks suggesting transfers could be as well.

Last week, Bild suggested that Kai Havertz could stay put at Bayer Leverkusen this summer as clubs across Europe are increasingly nervous about his £100M-plus transfer fee given the uncertainties about the future of the game—of when it will resume, in what form, and what the sum financial impacts will be.

And now, Kicker are suggesting that Havertz is considering signing a new deal with Leverksuen, with the 20-year-old increasingly believing he will still be at the club next season and seeking a raise.

Currently, his contract runs through the summer of 2022 and he reportedly earns around €5M per season—or around €100k per week. By Bundesliga standards, it’s a substantial wage for a young player, and reflects 2019 renegotiations that saw it more than doubled from around €40k per week.

In that light, and given the current situation, it’s hard to see Leverkusen being willing or able to give the player very much more this summer—though any deal that extends his contract and ensures their negotiating position remains strong in 2021 could more than pay for itself in the end.

Whatever the particulars, though, it does seem another signal that Havertz probably won’t be changing club this summer. Or whenever it is that the 2019-20 season ends and the transfer window opens up.