Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz was forced to join Chelsea this summer after a move to Real Madrid became impossible.
That’s according to Marca, who say that the youngster always intended to move to the Bernabeu but the Coronavirus scuppered his plans.
Havertz is one of the hottest properties in Europe after impressing for Leverkusen in both the Bundesliga and Europa League.
He has been heavily linked to all the big sides in Europe as a result, but it is Chelsea who have won the race for his signature, with a deal expected to be completed sooner rather than later.
According to Marca, though, they can consider themselves lucky to have secured Havertz’s signature as Stamford Bridge was never his primary choice.
The newspaper states that he ‘aimed’ to make Real Madrid his next destination and it was his ‘desire’ to wear the club’s famous white shirt, something he confessed to ‘emissaries’ from the Madrid club.
In fact, so strong was that desire he rejected the first proposals that came his way, including one from Bayern Munich, to give Real Madrid time to make a move.
However, the pandemic led the Spanish giants to change their strategy, and that means a move for the German midfielder was ruled out.
Unable to wait ‘any longer’ for that to change, particularly after his agent’s phone calls to Madrid to see if there was ‘any possibility’ of a move were ignored, he had ‘no choice’ but to sit down with Chelsea and negotiate a deal.
During those talks, he was presented with the ‘ambitious project’ at the club and convinced to make the switch, with him set to complete the move ‘in the coming days’.
