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Chelsea midfield target Kai Havertz absent from Bayer Leverkusen pre-season

Football

By Mirror | Aug 31, 2020

Leverkusen's German midfielder Kai Havertz (R) and Freiburg's German defender Dominique Heintz vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match SC Freiburg v Bayer 04 Leverkusen on May 29, 2020 in Freiburg, south-western Germany. (Photo by Ronald WITTEK / POOL / AFP)

Kai Havertz's move to Chelsea edges ever closer after the German was a big name absentee from Bayer Leverkusen's pre-season return.

The playmaker completed mandatory coronavirus tests on Friday and Saturday, which was necessary as he joins up with the national team next week.

But according to Bild he was not involved in the pre-season fitness tests on Sunday.

Leverkusen were beginning their preparations ahead of the new season with an open training session being held on Monday.

Havertz has been linked with the exit door at the BayArena for the majority of the summer.

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A host of Europe's leading lights were linked with the 23-year-old but Chelsea have been most active in pursuing the player's signature.

They are close to agreeing an initial £70m deal with £15m in add-ons, reports the Evening Standard.

Leverkusen's German midfielder Kai Havertz (L) and Moenchengladbach's German defender Matthias Ginter vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bayer 04 Leverkusen on May 23, 2020 in Moenchengladbach, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / POOL / AFP)

Chelsea have wasted no time in adding big names this summer following two transfer windows without recruiting.

Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva have all joined the Blues.

The latter two have made their moves in the past week to bolster a Chelsea defence that had its issues last term.

Ziyech and Werner meanwhile made their debuts in their pre-season friendly against Brighton.

The German scored his first goal for the club and Frank Lampard was pleased with both their contributions

"I thought Timo was really sharp and bright," he said.

"He got his goal really early in the game, he showed some of the qualities that I know very well he has so I am very excited about having him in the squad.

"I thought his work rate and everything about him was a great little start for him and Hakim Ziyech the same, some of his contributions and passing and quality levels were great."