Michael Ballack urges Kai Havertz to stay in Germany

German football icon Michael Ballack has urged Bayer Leverkusen prodigy Kai Havertz to snub a move to the Premier League this summer and stay in Germany. 

The Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid has been tipped with a move to the Premier League, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool heavily linked with his services.

However, former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ballack has urged Havertz to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, one of his former clubs, as that would serve his developement better. The 43-year-old told German outlet Bild: "Players with his quality are in demand everywhere. But I think he’s in good hands in Leverkusen.

"The conditions there are perfect for young top players and their development. 

"Bayer play attractive football and their training facilities are very good. 

"Leverkusen also offer a cautious environment, and as a player you can make mistakes without being the focus of criticism. You should appreciate that. 

"Of course a player like Kai Havertz has to play in the Champions League, so it would be important for Leverkusen to qualify for it." 

The German starlet has been on the radar of English clubs for quite some time now following his exploits with Bayer Leverkusen at an early age which has seen him capped by Germany seven times already. 

His form in 2019-20 has been exceptional, having scored ten goals and adding a further eight assists in 34 appearances in all competitions. Last season, he was even more lethal with 20 goals and seven assists in 42 games in all competitions. 

Meanwhile, another former Germany midfielder and former Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann, has compared Havertz to Ballack and also urged Premier League clubs to make their move. 

The ex-Liverpool star said: "The one player who stands out for me is Havertz. He's an exceptional player who reminds me of a young Michael Ballack. 

"He has that air of arrogance... in a nice way. He's just a natural. He's two-footed, he's tall and he's good in the air. 

"He's very versatile, he can play across the front, he can play in any position. 

"I think he is the best player we have got in Germany at the moment. 

"There's talk about Werner maybe going to England and obviously he's a different player but I think Havertz is the one I would be looking at."

Featured image credits - Sports Illustrated