Chelsea: Kai Havertz interest means a few worried faces in the squad

Chelsea’s interest in Kai Havertz means a few current players should be worried.

Chelsea is looking to continue its summer spending spree with another splash signing. The Blues are looking to sign a pair of top Bundesliga talent after making a move for Timo Werner. Kai Havertz is on the Blues’ radar with Frank Lampard desiring the midfielder’s services in west London.

While a majority of fans are ecstatic at the Blues’ transfer strategy, questions are being asked about the fate of other attacking talent. If Havertz were to join Chelsea, play time of some very talented players would decline. Who is impacted the most by the potential signing of the German wonder kid?

The individual impacted most by a Havertz-to-Chelsea move would be Ross Barkley. Barkley is drawing interest from a number of Premier League teams already—including West Ham and Newcastle. As such, Chelsea is considering selling the England international this summer. Havertz would knock Barkley further down the Blues’ attacking midfield pecking order.

With Barkley fighting for a place in England’s squad for the European qualifiers next summer, a move away may actually benefit him. However, one can’t help but feel like Barkley still has something to offer Chelsea, especially given his scintillating form before the break.

Another individual who will see his game time dwindle at the expense of this possible move is Mason Mount. Mount’s been an absolute workhorse for Chelsea as Lampard often references him as one of the side’s best players this year. The 21-year-old is one of the world’s promising young stars, but a big money move for Havertz could be a cause for concern. Of course, there are ways to field both at the same time with the German spending some time up front and Mount’s ability to play on the wing, but the time Mount sees on the pitch would surely be reduced.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is another face that would look worried around Cobham. Loftus-Cheek has impressed when on the pitch for Chelsea through the years, but that’s where the problem lies. The 24-year-old suffers a lot of injuries and has yet to reach his full potential. A clean bill of health would go a long way for the midfielder, but life at one of Europe’s top clubs can be ruthless. Havertz is three years and some change younger than Loftus-Cheek with the ability to play the same position. The Englishman’s road to recovery is already tough enough, but it would get even harder with the German in the team.

Other players who could be impacted by Havertz’s rumored transfer are Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham and even Hakim Ziyech. Adding another attacking threat to an already talent-rich offensive side would complicate the squad selection. Chelsea has a lot of talented young players, but when the opportunity to sign one of the world’s best prospects comes along, one doesn’t pass the chance up.

In order to fund a move, players like Barkley, Jorginho, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater, Victor Moses and Michy Batshuayi are the first names that come to mind linked to permanent moves away. Many of those names are on their way out regardless, but Barkley and Jorginho have a chance to play large roles with the Blues for years to come. Havertz’s signing would speed up the process of showing the midfielders the door.

All of that being said, Havertz would be a defining addition to Chelsea. He’d represent the fact that the Blues are serious about not only backing Lampard, but contending for trophies as soon as possible. Some players may be sacrificed in the process as the pursuit of glory requires sacrifices along the way.