LEVERKUSEN have not “given up hope” of keeping Kai Havertz this summer, says their sporting director Rudi Voller.
The 20-year-old is one of the hottest properties on the market, with Chelsea harbouring hopes of signing him.
Havertz is contracted at BayArena for another two years and is rated at around £70million.
But rather than leave the club whose academy he graduated from as a teen, the German international could stick around for a little longer yet.
Voller told ARD: “We haven’t given up hope that he’ll stay with us.
“We try to give him every possibility that he can call up his qualities.
“He did an outstanding job in the second half of the season.”
Havertz burst onto the scene at Bayer as a 17-year-old, quickly establishing himself as one of German football’s hottest prospects.
But this season in particular he has taken his game to another level, scoring 15 goals and assisting a further eight in all competitions under Peter Bosz.
While predominantly a central player, Havertz is adept at playing on the right flank, having done so ten times this season.
This could be useful for the Blues, given that they are likely to lose wingers Willian and Pedro on free transfers this summer.
Manchester United have also been credited with an interest, but Chelsea appear to be in the driving seat.
The West Londoners are set to illustrate their spending power in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, spending £54m on Timo Werner.
And Ben Chilwell has also been linked, with club chiefs set to back Frank Lampard as he continues his Stamford Bridge revolution.
