Chelsea: £150k-a-week star ‘on borrowed time’ at Stamford Bridge | OneFootball

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·18 September 2022

Chelsea: £150k-a-week star ‘on borrowed time’ at Stamford Bridge

Article image:Chelsea: £150k-a-week star ‘on borrowed time’ at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz is ‘on borrowed time’ following his poor start to the current campaign, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The 23-year-old has put in several below-par performances for the Blues in the opening weeks of the season, leading to questions being raised over his place in the starting lineup.


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Havertz signed a five-year contract worth £150,000-per-week after completing a £75.8 million move from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2020 and has endured mixed success at Chelsea ever since.

The Germany international had a slow start to life in west London but went on to register nine goals and eight assists in 45 appearances across all competitions in his maiden campaign, including the only strike in the Champions League final.

And Havertz built on that success last term, racking up 20 goal contributions in 47 outings as Chelsea were defeated by Liverpool on penalties in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals.

Article image:Chelsea: £150k-a-week star ‘on borrowed time’ at Stamford Bridge

However, the creative talent has been unable to replicate those performance levels this time around, finding the back of the net on just one occasion in his opening eight games and failing to set up a single strike.

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel previously admitted that he wanted ‘more’ from Havertz as he is ‘full of talent’, and his successor Graham Potter may also find himself in a similar position.

What has Phillips said about Havertz?

Phillips believes that academy graduate Armando Broja could be in line to take Havertz’s place in the starting XI after producing a handful of promising displays from the substitute’s bench.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “I think right now, the form that Kai Havertz is in, I think he’s on borrowed time.

“He’s not playing very well, and every time Armando Broja comes on, he plays very well and really stakes a claim, and I don’t think that can continue.”

Who could replace Havertz?

As Phillips suggested, Broja may be hopeful of earning his first start for Chelsea sooner rather than later following an impressive loan spell with Southampton last season.

The Albania international bagged nine goals in 38 games for the Saints in 2021/22 and will be hoping he gets an opportunity to impress under Potter.

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Article image:Chelsea: £150k-a-week star ‘on borrowed time’ at Stamford Bridge

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Another option for the newly-appointed Chelsea chief is summer signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived from Barcelona for around £10m on transfer deadline day.

The 33-year-old has already proved his credentials in the Premier League with Arsenal and could be called upon to end Chelsea’s woes in the final third of the pitch.

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