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Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz was one of the biggest prospects in German football before his £62 million move to the Premier League last season.
Havertz rose through the youth ranks at Bayer Leverkusen before making his debut for the club at the age of just 17. The attacking midfielder was dubbed the next 'Mesut Ozil' in Germany due to his passion, calm demeanour and ability to score goals.
During his last two seasons with the Bundesliga giants, Havertz scored 29 goals and provided ten assists in 64 appearances in the league for Leverkusen. The German international quickly became one of the hottest properties in world football.
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Havertz was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Chelsea in the summer of 2019. The Blues eventually won the race to sign the 22-year-old. Chelsea dished out £62 million for Havertz, making him the club's second-most expensive player.
Kai Havertz, though, endured a slow start to life in England, struggling to cope with the physicality and speed of the Premier League. He contributed just four goals in 27 league appearances in his debut campaign for Chelsea.
The former Leverkusen star endured a difficult debut season with Chelsea. But he capped it off with the winning goal in the Champions League final against Manchester City.
Kai Havertz has, however, been unable to build on that, as he has scored just one goal in six Premier League appearances for Thomas Tuchel's side this season.
That has made Chelsea fans wonder if Havertz has what it takes to come good for the club in the near future. Many believe Chelsea could have spent £62 million on a proven Premier League star rather than Kai Havertz.
On that note, here's a look at five players Chelsea could have signed instead of Kai Havertz:
#5 Leroy Sane
Before his move to Bayern Munich, Leroy Sane was one of the most feared wingers in the Premier League. The German scored 39 goals and provided 45 assists in 135 appearances for Manchester City during his four seasons with the club.
Sane suffered a serious knee injury during his final season with Pep Guardiola's team, though, which hampered his progress at the club. He then sought a move away from City, and was reportedly keen to move back to Germany.
Manchester City would not have entertained the prospect of selling Sane to a direct Premier League rival. The winger's speed, dribbling, crossing ability, and experience of playing for a top Premier League side would have made him an ideal signing for Chelsea, though.
#4 Ousmane Dembele
The French midfielder was one of the hottest properties in world football before his move to Barcelona in 2017. Barcelona signed Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £110 million, hoping that he would be the ideal replacement for Neymar.
Dembele struggled to make an impact at Barcelona during his first two seasons with the club, due to a mixture of injuries and off-field issues. The 24-year-old did, however, show glimpses of his potential at times.
Ousmane Dembele has been heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona last summer. The former Borussia Dortmund star almost signed for Manchester United, but rejected the Red Devils' offer at the eleventh hour. The France international enjoyed a decent season for Barcelona last season, though, scoring 11 goals in 44 appearances.
#3 Jadon Sancho
Jadon Sancho was heavily linked with a host of Europe's top clubs last summer. The English winger had joined Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City in the summer of 2017, and developed into one of the best players in the Bundesliga.
Sancho scored 50 goals and provided an astonishing 64 assists in 137 games in all competitions for Dortmund during his four seasons with the club. The 21-year-old was linked with a move to Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid before joining Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side this summer in a deal worth £73 million.
Sancho's pace, vision and crossing ability could have made him the ideal partner for Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku in their attack.
#2 Paulo Dybala
Paulo Dybala was considered to be one of the best No.10s or 'second strikers' in world football until last season.
Dybala scored 68 league goals in five seasons for Juventus before the 2020-21 campaign, when he seemingly fell out of favour under former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo. He was Juventus' talisman during the 2019-20 season, winning the Serie A's Most Valuable Player of the Year award that year.
Dybala was one of the most sought-after players in world football a couple of seasons ago, and was often linked with a move to the Premier League. The 27-year-old is currently attempting to rejuvenate his career at Juventus under Massimiliano Allegri.
#1 James Maddison
The Leicester City midfielder has been linked with a move to many top clubs in the Premier League almost every summer. James Maddison has seen his career dip slightly since bursting onto the scene in the Premier League with Leicester City three years ago.
The former Norwich City star was one of the biggest prospects in English football. He is still considered one of the most talented attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
Maddison's work rate, creativity, and eye for goal would have made him the ideal signing for Chelsea last season. The Englishman would have also come at a cheaper price than Havertz, as Leicester City were reportedly listening to offers in the region of £50 million for the 24-year-old.
