Arsenal have tabled an improved verbal offer worth around £60 million for Chelsea attacking midfielder and forward Kai Havertz, according to the Daily Mail.
The north London club saw their initial bid of around £50m turned down, and talks have continued with the Blues, with the Gunners now offering them a guaranteed £55m and another £5m in bonuses.
The Germany international has supplanted Declan Rice as the Gunners’ primary focus, but Arsenal remain confident of their chances of landing both players during the early stages of the transfer window, with manager Mikel Arteta playing a large role in ongoing negotiations for him.
Havertz’s versatility has caught the attention of the Gunners boss, who plans to deploy him across all the attacking positions, and that should not be an issue for the 23-year-old after he was largely deployed as an out-and-out No 9 last term.
The former Bayer Leverkusen star joined Chelsea in 2020 and hit the ground running, winning the Champions League and grabbing the only goal of the final in a 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
The Blues want between £70m-£75m for Havertz as they need to sell players, balance the books and make money to make recruitment, and the player is keen on leaving them to join Arsenal.
The Gunners are willing to offer him a long-term contract worth a minimum of £210,000-per-week, which would make him one of their highest earners, and both clubs could soon reach an agreement if talks go well.
Havertz has bagged 32 goals and 15 assists in 139 games since joining Chelsea, and he ended his time at Leverkusen with 38 goals and 15 assists in his last two campaigns, indicating his lethal ability in the final third in an attacking side.
Arsenal need such a versatile player as they look to bolster their attacking ranks on their return to the Champions League, and their readiness to part with £60m for his services speaks volumes.
Arteta needs quality players capable of taking his side to the next level, and Havertz fits the bill having proven his quality on the biggest stage, but whether Arsenal will return with an improved bid if their latest offer is rejected remains to be seen.
