German forward Kai Havertz is set to join Arsenal from London rivals Chelsea.

The 24-year-old moved to Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 in a deal worth around £71 million.

But Arsenal will pay less than that to sign Havertz this summer.

According to various sources, including trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have agreed to pay Chelsea £60m up front for Havertz, plus a possible extra £5m in add-ons.

That deal will make Havertz the second most expensive signing in Arsenal’s 136-year history.

Nicolas Pepe is Arsenal’s most expensive signing to date, having cost £72m when he arrived from Lille in 2019.

Pepe replaced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the record-holder. The Gunners had paid Borussia Dortmund £56m to sign Aubameyang in 2018.

Aubameyang left Arsenal on a free transfer to join Barcelona in February 2022. He later returned to England by signing for Chelsea in September last year.

Pepe is still an Arsenal player but he has not played for the club since May 2022, having spent last season on loan at Nice.

Havertz, who can play as a striker or in midfield, scored 32 times in 139 games for Chelsea, including the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final.

Kai Havertz will become Arsenal’s second most expensive signing ever when he joins from Chelsea

IMAGO/Sportimage/Paul Terry

 

Soucre:  si.com