New Chelsea Manager Thomas Tuchel Must Build His Team Around Kai Havertz

Chelsea didn’t really need Kai Havertz. There was no clear role for the German in the Blues starting lineup, but there was a sense at Stamford Bridge that they simply couldn’t pass up the chance to capture a generational talent. Players like Havertz aren’t available all that often and it was even rarer that Chelsea had a free run at signing at the 21-year-old as the only club in Europe willing to spend big amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Frank Lampard struggled to grasp the type of player Havertz is. Most commonly used as a box-to-box midfielder, the German spent the first half of the 2020/21 season on the peripheries, whether this was on the pitch as something of an anonymous figure or on the bench. This was after he recovered from contracting Covid-19 himself.

Now, of course, Lampard is gone and Thomas Tuchel has arrived in his place. The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain boss has a lot to address in his new job, but finding a place for Havertz, the second most expensive player in Chelsea’s history, ranks high on his list of priorities.

At Bayer Leverkusen, where Havertz emerged as one of the most exciting talents in European soccer, the 21-year-old was deployed predominantly as an attacking force. It was in the final third where he made the biggest difference, notching an incredible 46 goals and 31 assists in 150 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit. 

Tuchel has already shown more intent to use Havertz as an attacker, fielding the young German international as part of his front three for last week’s home draw against Wolves. While Havertz was passive in much of his play, this suggest he will be given more of an opportunity to prove himself in his preferred position going forward under the new manager.

“His potential is endless,” Tuchel explained after the win over Burnley, in which Havertz impressed off the bench. “It has been a challenge for him and I think he made a brave choice [coming to Chelsea]. What I feel from him is that he is a very intelligent, friendly and open guy who has a lot of potential – and we will push him. He seems like the guy who needs to be pushed and we won’t stop doing it.

“For him, this league is perfect because he cannot rest. He has so much potential that he needs to be challenged physically, so he doesn’t just rely on his endless talent. This is good. In the end, the question is does he show his teeth in the end when it gets tough?”

The appointment of Tuchel by the Chelsea hierarchy was largely made with Havertz and Timo Werner in mind. The club invested over £100m in the two Germans in the summer transfer window and now need to protect that investment. Under the right tutelage, the pair can be the attackers Chelsea build their next great team around. Tuchel, Chelsea hope, will provide that tutelage.

Whether it’s as a ‘false nine,’ where Havertz performed well numerous times for Bayer Leverkusen, or on the right side of a front three, Tuchel must find a way to get the best out of his £71m man. This might require him to build his whole attack around Havertz, but then the 21-year-old was signed with the intention of being a figure for the Blues. First, though, Tuchel must understand what it is Havertz offers him. Nobody at Chelsea has so far managed to do this.