Kai Havertz dealt a blow to the hopes of a young Chelsea supporter after being asked whether he would be open to returning to his former club from Arsenal this summer.
Many questioned Mikel Arteta’s decision to spend heavily on a player who failed to consistently meet expectations during a difficult three-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
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Although his journey at Arsenal has not been without challenges, the adaptable Germany international has grown into one of Arteta’s most dependable performers.
After finding it difficult to settle into the midfield position initially planned for him at Arsenal, Havertz has shown his true value when deployed in his preferred role as a central striker.
The signing of Viktor Gyokeres last summer appeared set to reduce Havertz’s role in the squad, while a string of injuries limited his influence until the latter stages of the season.
Despite Gyokeres finishing his debut campaign in north London as Arsenal’s leading scorer, Havertz continued to be Arteta’s preferred option for the biggest matches.
His goals against Burnley in a victory that effectively secured the title, along with a brilliant effort in the Champions League final despite ending on the losing side, highlighted his significance to Arsenal’s success.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are far removed from the team Havertz left in the summer of 2023 and are preparing to begin a new era under their fourth permanent manager since his exit, Xabi Alonso.
American fan: “Kai Havertz go back to Chelsea!”
Kai Havertz “You wish, you wish.” 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/81puGoLL0m
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) June 9, 2026
Strengthening the attack is expected to be a key objective for the former Liverpool midfielder, with Joao Pedro attracting interest from Barcelona and Liam Delap likely to fall out of favour after struggling to impress following his move from Ipswich.
A Stamford Bridge comeback for Havertz is naturally not being considered, but that did not stop one ambitious young fan from making the suggestion while the Arsenal forward signed autographs at Germany’s World Cup training camp.
‘You wish, you wish,’ said Havertz when asked if he would consider swapping Arteta’s Arsenal for Alonso’s rebuilding project at Chelsea.
Even with his strong standing at Arsenal, it would not be surprising if the Premier League champions strengthened their attack again during the transfer window and increased competition for places.
Julian Alvarez has been strongly linked with a move back to the Premier League, but the Atletico Madrid striker became the subject of a bid from Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Argentina international has netted 49 goals in 106 appearances for Atletico since arriving from Manchester City in 2024.
Alvarez, who remains under contract until 2030, is reportedly eager to leave Diego Simeone’s side this summer and has attracted interest from both Arsenal and Barcelona.
Before securing another term as Madrid president, Florentino Perez promised that the club would submit a record-breaking offer for an unnamed “great player” this week.
A statement released by Real on Tuesday read: ‘Real Madrid CF announces that, following the meeting of the board of directors held today, it has made an offer of 150 million euros to Club Atletico de Madrid for the federative rights of the player Julian Alvarez.
‘After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal, made within the framework of the good relations between both clubs, and has rejected it, referring to the player’s release clause.’
As Alvarez prepares for Argentina’s World Cup title defence, he has recorded 20 goals in 49 appearances for Atletico this season, including 10 in the Champions League.
Atletico later insisted they were “neither considering nor evaluating any offers” for Alvarez.
The club responded to Real’s announcement with a series of posts on the Rojiblancos’ X account, opening with five laughing emojis.
‘You may have mistaken politeness for gratitude, but just to be clear: we are not thanking you for anything,’ Atletico posted.
‘We are neither considering nor evaluating any offers for Julian. How could we not get along, when you make us laugh even more than @FCBarcelona?’
