Chelsea’s Kai Havertz has been backed to ‘convince all the critics’ in England by former teammate Jonathan Tah.
Havertz made a big-money move to Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window, with Chelsea beating fierce competition around Europe to secure a £72m deal for the Bayer Leverkusen star.
The move as proved to be a difficult one so far, though, with Havertz managing just five goals and six assists in 26 games so far.
That’s a far cry from the 18 goals and nine assists he managed in all competitions last season and certainly not the sort of numbers Chelsea were expecting to get for their money.
It’s seen the young midfielder receive plenty of criticism, but Tah believes it is only a matter of time before he proves everyone wrong.
“I’ve been watching the Chelsea games regularly since then (the move),” he told Sport 1.
“It’s super interesting because Timo Werner and Antonio Rüdiger also play there. I know what qualities Kai has.
“The game there is different than in Germany. There is a lot of talk in such phases: He has to do this and that because he has cost so and so much.
“But that’s nonsense. Give the boy time; then he will show his enormous qualities at Chelsea too. Kai will convince all the critics over there!”
Havertz was not the only German to make the move to England this summer, with Timo Werner also having switched the Bundesliga for England.
The route between the two leagues is a well-trodden one, with plenty of German stars having made the move in an attempt to try their hand in the English top flight.
It’s something Tah is yet to do, but there have been rumours, with the 24-year-old have been regularly linked with a move in recent years.
That reached something of a head last summer when Arsenal and Leicester were both said to be eyeing a move at some point.
That never happened but Tah has admitted he fancies the move to England if he can get it.
“I’ve always said that I love England. It’s not a secret,” he added.
“The league is interesting, there are a lot of big teams and the style of play suits me.
“If at some point I notice that a change will bring me further and that I am stagnating in my development, then that is an option. But I’m currently very satisfied here in Leverkusen.”
