Mateo Kovacic claims ‘elegant’ Kai Havertz ‘is getting better and better’ at Chelsea despite shaky start to Premier League life after his £89m summer move from Bayer Leverkusen
- Kai Havertz has failed to justify his £89million transfer fee at Chelsea so far
- The 21-year-old has scored just once in 13 league appearances for the Blues
- Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic is not concerned about Havertz’s early form
- The Croatian claims he asks Havertz and Mason Mount for attacking advice
Mateo Kovacic claims he does not have any concerns about Kai Havertz’s form despite the German suffering a slow start to his Chelsea career.
The 21-year-old is struggling to nail down a regular spot in Frank Lampard’s starting eleven this season following his £89million move from Germany and has just one goal in 13 top-flight matches.
The form differs to Havertz’s last season at Bayer Leverkusen where he scored 18 times and registered six assists but Croatian midfielder Kovacic is confident the attacker can soon rediscover the form that earned him a Premier League move.
Mateo Kovacic (right) says he is not concerned about Kai Havertz (left)’s early Chelsea form
Havertz (above) has scored just once since making his £89million move from Bayer Leverkusen
Kovacic told the Blues’ official website: ‘I like Kai Havertz a lot. He is such a talented player. He is a great signing for Chelsea. He will be a huge player for Chelsea and for world football, I’m sure of that.
‘He has huge potential. He is such an elegant player. He just needs to learn to play in the Premier League, that’s all.
‘It’s a difficult league with a huge tempo, and he will get used to it. Game by game he is getting better so I have no fear for Kai.’
Havertz started all nine of Chelsea’s opening Premier League and Champions League fixtures of the season but the German missed three games due to contracting coronavirus in November and has struggled to reclaim his starting spot.
Havertz started his first nine league and European games for Chelsea but now rarely features
Since then, the 21-year-old has started just three out of Chelsea’s last six league matches and the Blues have suffered a dip in form following recent away defeats to Everton, Wolves and a London derby against Arsenal on Boxing Day.
Kovacic claims that he asks Havertz for advice on attacking scenarios as the summer signing is a ‘better attacker’ than the Croatian.
The midfielder also receives similar advice from Mason Mount – who has one goal and six assists in all competitions this season.
Kovacic added: ‘Mason has a great desire to work, his attitude is great and he is very talented. It’s a normal thing he is doing so good because I saw last year his talent.
Kovacic (left) claims that the Premier League is a difficult league to get used to for a foreigner
Kovacic (right) claims he asks Havertz and Mason Mount (left) for advice about attacking
‘We like to talk. They can give me tips as well. They are both better goalscorers than me so I can look to them.
‘It’s not about the age. Every player has his attributes. We talk and we can learn off each other. For me, I want to become better every game.
‘I can still improve and be better in some parts of games which I’m trying to do. I can improve a lot and I’m sure I will be even better as the season goes on.’