Kai Havertz: Who will sign Chelsea at Bayer Leverkusen?

He has been dubbed “the next Michael Ballack” and designated a future superstar.

Blues fans hope he can help turn the team into contenders for the title, but why did the club agree to pay a fee on the order of £ 71 million – including additional costs – for this 21-year-old?

Who is this German child prodigy?

Havertz, born in 1999, is considered to be the greatest talent of his generation from Germany.

The attacking midfielder caused waves at the age of 17 and made his debut for Bayer Leverkusen in the 2016/17 season. It was clear from the start that one day he would become a superstar.

Havertz possesses the technical ability of a typical number 10, but cannot strictly be classified as one – his height (6 feet 2 inches) and dynamic style make him an option for various roles.

He has often played in attacking midfield for Leverkusen, but also in central midfield, on the right wing and, more recently, as a striker. National coach Joachim Low also likes to test him in a deeper role.

Some in Germany see him as the new Michael Ballack. The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea midfielder had similar traits: he not only pulled the passes with passes, but also ran powerfully into the penalty area.

While lacking Ballack’s stellar physicality, Havertz can be an intelligent runner who suddenly pops up from behind the backline to score.

Havertz is a modern playmaker who combines passing skills, vision, calm under pressure and a high degree of sportiness. He doesn’t try sneaky tricks or do anything inefficient. He’s a no-nonsense player in the form of his new manager Frank Lampard.

Havertz doesn’t have the most colorful personality and, like many other German players of his generation, lets his feet speak.

What is Havertz’s backstory?

He grew up as the son of a police officer and a lawyer in the small village of Mariadorf and became a fan and youth player of the local club Alemannia Aachen.

As a 10-year-old he was noticed by Bayer Leverkusen scouts, who convinced him to switch to the Bundesliga powerhouse.

Since the young Havertz was still living in Aachen, he had to commute from school to the Leverkusen youth academy several times a week. After joining the U17 team, he moved into the home of the stadium announcer Klaus Schenkmann.

There’s no backstory from rags to riches.

“Kai is lucky that he comes from a level-headed family. His mother and father are both down-to-earth,” said Jürgen Gelsdorf, the former director of the Leverkusen Academy.

Havertz graduated from high school when he was a regular member of the Leverkusen senior team and once said: “I couldn’t go to school in the morning because we were training.”

In the afternoon he had to catch up on the teaching material. “At some point I couldn’t do it anymore. My energy was gone. I wanted to give up.”

But manager Roger Schmidt convinced him to stay on course and it paid off.

While his classmates were on a trip to Lake Garda in Italy, Havertz made his Champions League debut against Tottenham at Wembley in front of 85,000 spectators.

How could he fit in with Chelsea?

Havertz could be used in a number of positions and in different systems.

But his most likely role is number 10 first choice in a 4-2-3-1 or advanced number eight in a 4-3-3.

The Blues already have an ensemble of wingers and, with the engagement of Timo Werner, two highly talented strikers. There is no need to experiment with Havertz.

He moves effortlessly between the lines and can offer a unique presence in Chelsea midfield. People like Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech will benefit from having that kind of playmaker right next to them, while the low-lying midfielders have a good man when they are in trouble.

Former teammates and coaches have praised Havertz for his mental strength – seen as his greatest asset alongside his footballing talent.

It may take a while to get used to the Premier League and his new club after 10 years at Leverkusen, but there’s little that can stop Havertz from becoming the fulcrum of Chelsea’s attack.