Dark horses for EPL title
Fuelled by £200m spending spree, including new star Havertz, Chelsea now a major threat
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LONDON • Chelsea have emerged as dark horses to win the English Premier League title next season, after taking their summer spending spree to nearly £200 million (S$362 million) with the signing of German international Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year deal on Friday.
His arrival at Stamford Bridge for a reported £71 million - which could rise with add-ons - is the Blues' latest statement of intent as they seek to cut the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The west London club finished fourth in the Premier League last season, 33 points behind champions Liverpool, but are now the bookmakers' third favourites to win the top-flight title.
"I want to have big success and we want to win titles here," the 21-year-old Havertz said.
"Chelsea is always a big club and they want to win titles and I try to do my best, so we can achieve these things."
The versatile midfielder will provide manager Frank Lampard with many options.
He is expected to play in the No. 10 role in a 4-2-3-1 or the advanced No. 8 in a 4-3-3. He can also play up front.
He joins international teammate Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva in joining the club for Lampard's second season in charge.
The likes of Ziyech are set to benefit from playing with Havertz, with former Bayer Leverkusen head coach Tayfun Korkut praising his intelligence.
"Watch his assists and you can see it," he said of Germany's most expensive footballer, ranked among the top three players in the Bundesliga last season for short passes leading to a chance for a teammate.
"What is fantastic about him is that he waits until the last second before making the decision... He always makes the right decision."
Former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves described Havertz as "a hybrid of Michael Ballack and Mesut Ozil".
"That says a lot in terms of his goals and elegance," he added. "He is a super player."
Havertz scored 46 goals, including 18 last season, and provided 31 assists in 150 competitive games for Leverkusen. But that was not enough to lead them back into the Champions League as they finished fifth in the Bundesliga and went out in the quarter-finals of the Europa League to Inter Milan.
He was keen to make the move to a Champions League club and Chelsea could not pass up the opportunity to sign one of Europe's hottest prospects, despite more pressing concerns at the other end of the field.
Some pundits believe the Blues are one more signing away from being serious title contenders.
Havertz is the club's second most expensive signing after Kepa Arrizabalaga joined from Athletic Bilbao (£71.6 million) in 2018.
But a new No. 1 - in the form of Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy - could be the final puzzle after Arrizabalaga failed to live up to expectations in goal.
ESPN football expert Julien Laurens told Sky Sport's Transfer Talk podcast: "Third is an absolute necessity because anything below that is a disappointment with this squad.
"They probably should add a goalkeeper somewhere so if they do that, it's even better."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
BLUES' SUMMER SIGNINGS
Kai Havertz, 21 (£71 million from Bayer Leverkusen)
The versatile midfielder is the present and future of the club. He scored 18 goals in 45 games for Leverkusen last term.
Timo Werner, 24 (£47.5m from RB Leipzig)
He is set to become Chelsea's first-choice striker after 34 goals in total en route to becoming the Bundesliga club's all-time top marksman.
Ben Chilwell, 23 (£45m from Leicester)
The left-back is the second-costliest English full-back behind Kyle Walker, who joined Manchester City from Tottenham for £53 million in 2017. He is comfortable attacking and defending.
Hakim Ziyech , 26 (£36m from Ajax)
The Morocco winger will provide width on the right and fancies cutting infield to shoot with his favoured left foot.
Thiago Silva, 35 (free from PSG)
The Brazil centre-back will add experience and leadership to a defence that let in 54 Premier League goals last season - the most among clubs in the top half of the table. He has 23 trophies from eight years at PSG.
Malang Sarr, 21 (free from Nice)
The France Under-21 defender is one for the future and is expected to go out on loan.
Xavier Mbuyamba, 18 (free from Barcelona)
The Dutch defender has been hailed as the next Virgil van Dijk. But he will have to develop in the youth ranks at Cobham after being told by Barca's B side that he would serve only as back-up.
