Kai Havertz’s move to Real Madrid has the feeling of a saga which could drag on all summer.
Chelsea want to sell and Madrid want to buy, but neither is yet in a difficult enough position to bow to the demands of the other. Chelsea want something in the region of €70m for the attacker, while Madrid don’t want to pay anything near that.
It might well be a game of chess until the end of the summer, when party will have to blink.
Real Madrid have no intention to pay big fee for Kai Havertz. He’s appreciated by Ancelotti but no plans to spend €60m plus add-ons requested by Chelsea. ⚪️ #RealMadrid
Negotiations currently off, could only change if price tag will be lower later in the window. pic.twitter.com/qJ5BN1DiSJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 12, 2023
Until then it’s a phoney war, and according to Fabrizio Romano’s latest update we shouldn’t expect too much movement soon. He says that Madrid “have no intention to pay big fee” and that negotiations are “currently off.”
That situation will only chance if Havertz’s “price tag will be lower later in the window.” That’s certainly a possibility. If Chelsea decide that there is no other interest in the German international and they’d rather sell him than let him get towards the end of his contract, then there’s a good chance they accept less than the steep sums they’re asking for now.
Of course in the interim Madrid may move for another alternative and end their interest entirely. It’s going to be an interesting few weeks of cat and mouse.
