Bosz: Champions League improves chance of keeping Brandt & Havertz
Peter Bosz believes there is a better chance of both Julian Brandt and Kai Havertz remaining at Bayer Leverkusen after they sealed Champions League football for next season.
The talented duo have been linked with moves away from the BayArena, with Champions League finalists Liverpool and Tottenham among those rumoured to be interested in Brandt in particular.
Leverkusen clinched fourth spot in the Bundesliga last weekend, thumping Hertha Berlin 5-1 as Borussia Monchengladbach lost to Borussia Dortmund.
"Yes, it's a better chance [of Leverkusen keeping both players]," Leverkusen coach Bosz told Bayer 04 TV.
"I don't know. Kai will stay, for sure. And Julian, I hope he will stay. Every player wants to play at the highest level and we have the chance next season to play at the highest level.
"We're looking forward to it. Not only in the Champions League but also the Bundesliga.
"Our goal will be to be better than this season and therefore we have to work harder than this season and be more clear about how we want to play. It's a big achievement."
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Havertz scored 20 goals in all competitions at club level this season and Bosz added of the teenager: "He definitely has something special. Particularly as he is just 19 years old. It's very unusual to see performances like that at that age.
"He played incredibly well in the last few games. But even Kai obviously has something to learn although he's is very aware of where he can improve.
"The lad will definitely improve as he has this season in terms of posing a significantly bigger threat on goal than before.
"On that point, he's mostly scored the really important opening goals. But Kai will also have to overcome lows in his career. For example, he didn't really do very well at the beginning of the second half of the season.
"When we spoke about that he taught me a new German word. He said he'd been 'schlampig' [sloppy] in many situations."