The Bundesliga continues to be the best football league in Europe for the development of talent. The new most-wanted players plying their trade in Germany are Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Kai Havertz.
The duo has their admirers in the Premier League with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United four of the clubs interested in signing one of the two stars.
Sancho, a former Manchester City youth team player, is linked to Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United with fans of all three clubs wanting their team to break the bank to sign him. Each of the three clubs have a reason not to sign Sancho.
Manchester United are in debt after spending heavily in the last two transfer windows, Liverpool are more in need of a play-making midfielder (Havertz) and a goalscoring No. 9 (Timo Werner). Chelsea just don’t have a plan and already have several wide players.
Sancho’s return from the Bundesliga’s break did not start well. He came off the bench in three straight games having little impact and looked well overweight compared to earlier in the campaign.
Havertz did not have any of the weight or form issues Sancho did. The Bayer Leverkusen player was deployed by coach Peter Bosz as the team’s No. 9 with Kevin Volland out injured. Havertz scored five goals in the Company XI’s four matches back from the break.
Both players have contracts that expire in 2022 and are of a similar age. Havertz turns 21 on June 11th while Sancho just turned 20 in March.
Sancho’s flair and pace have set him at a level that has big clubs around Europe salivating for him. Yet, the return from the break showed that Sancho could veer into the unprofessional realm. Being unfit when needed was one reason Sancho was unable to step up against Bayern Munich.
Lucien Favre didn’t have one of his best players available and Borussia Dortmund’s title challenge ended meekly with Sancho playing a bit part as a second-half substitute. Despite the stats saying something differently as he tallied two key passes, Sancho was a non-factor.
Manchester United are a club that has personality issues in the dressing room. Romelu Lukaku’s sale in the summer of 2019 was to help remedy the problem. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still has the disagreeable Paul Pogba at the club, so adding Sancho to the environment may be a disaster.
Havertz is a more dynamic player. He can play as a creative midfielder, winger, second striker, and lone striker. He would be perfect for Liverpool in the same way Roberto Firmino was turned into a star striker and hub of the club’s attack.
The same thing could be done with Havertz at Anfield. The Bayer Leverkusen player has scored 11 goals and tallied five assists in 26 league games. Havertz has had a hand in 30% of Bayer Leverkusen’s scoring.
Sancho has been more prolific in front of goal but that has much to do with his positioning and Borussia Dortmund’s style of play. Sancho has tallied 17 goals and 17 assists in 27 league matches. He has had a hand in 43% of Borussia Dortmund’s scoring.
So, which player will be the big summer transfer? Sancho’s price tag is high at over £105 million and that could soar to more than £120m. Havertz is valued at £72m which could increase to £90m.
The slightly lower price tag and potential to play in attack or midfield may make Havertz the more sought-after player.