Pundit Graeme Souness is not confident that Chelsea striker Kai Havertz is the right player to lead the Blues’ attack.
Havertz, 23, joined Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 for a fee worth just over £75m (Sky Sports) and although widely regarded as the future of German football at the time of his transfer, the 23-year-old has struggled to live up to the hype.
Although a decent attacker, Havertz has yet to net double figures in the Premier League. Scoring just four goals during his debuting campaign and then eight the following season, the Germany international is clearly a long way off the numbers required to be a top goalscorer, and Souness agrees.
“No he’s not going to get enough goals,” Souness told Sky Sports before Chelsea’s match against Nottingham Forest, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
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“It is madness to sell Timo Werner, Lukaku and then sign £170 million on three defenders. Surely you must think, football has never changed.
“The hardest thing to find is goalscorers. Spending £170 million on defenders, if you can afford it go out and do it, but the priority for me is you have sold two strikers, they weren’t the answer not long term or short term, but were better than what they have got right now. You can’t tell me they are better off with the firepower they have got now.”
Souness’ criticism comes just after Lukaku went on record to admit he would prefer to remain with Inter Milan once his loan from Chelsea comes to an end in the summer.
“Everyone knows what I want. Now I have to do everything necessary with the team for Inter to win and then we can talk to Chelsea,” the Belgium international told Sky Sport Italia.
“I want to stay here and do things right. I hope to do well with Inter in the next six months, work hard and then in the end we talk to Chelsea and hope to find a solution.”
With Lukaku unlikely to become the Blues’ main hitman, Havertz, should he fail to step up for the remainder of the season, will force owner Todd Bohely back into the transfer market in search of another striker.