Why negotiations on a player worth €60 million abruptly collapsed and why they could resume shortly
Information concerning the unexpected breakdown of the Kai Havertz to Real Madrid agreement is coming to light.
Lisbon Xtra quotation According to Spanish radio station COPE, discussions were terminated over a straightforward price difference.
Madrid valued the striker at €60 million, but Chelsea demanded a "package" that might have cost up to €85 million for him. Both sides had obviously moved on after concluding that a breakthrough was unlikely to occur anytime soon.
It appears that Chelsea may have overplayed their hand in this situation. They are being very optimistic to assume they can obtain €85 million for a player who has largely underperformed since joining the team, and if they try to play hardball, one thinks they may wind up keeping him in the squad again the next season.
However, the somewhat encouraging news is that the interest has only "cooled" and is still present. As a result, there is always a chance that we will come back to the table later in the summer, ideally with a more reasonable price in mind.
If Harry Kane ultimately joins Madrid, Chelsea won't likely regret cutting their hand off for €60 million. However, if Tottenham plays hardball (as they undoubtedly will), Chelsea may find the Spaniards returning with a cap in hand and ready to bargain. Only then can we expect to push them above €60m, which is still a long way off.
