"I love to watch him play" - Chelsea's Kai Havertz says he would like to have 'the brain' of Manchester City star
Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz has expressed his admiration for Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, hailing him as a 'very good' player.
De Bruyne has been in fine form for Pep Guardiola's side this season. He has scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists from 40 appearances across all competitions for the Premier League table-toppers.
The Belgium international has helped Manchester City earn a place at the top of the league table. He could also be key in the Citizens' hunt for the UEFA Champions League this season. Guardiola's side have placed one foot in the final of the competition after beating Real Madrid 4-3 in the first leg last week.
De Bruyne's performances for Manchester City so far have seen him become a strong contender for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. The midfielder is ranked sixth in the Ballon d'Or Power Rankings for the month of April.
Havertz has become the latest in a long line of football personalities to wax lyrical about De Bruyne. The German revealed that he loves to watch the Manchester City star play and admitted that he would like to have his brain. Explaining what a 'perfect Kai Havertz' would look like, he said on Stadium Astro [via HITC]:
“The brain, I would say, De Bruyne maybe. He is a very good player for me. I love to watch him play. He is very good.”
The next generation idolises Kevin De Bruyne. https://t.co/ckRzYmwbMO
It is worth noting that De Bruyne played a key role in Manchester City's 4-3 win against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie last week. He opened the scoring for the Citizens just two minutes into the game and provided the assist for Gabriel Jesus' goal.
De Bruyne ⚽️
Quickest goal ever in a Champions League semi-final 🤯
Manchester City's earliest ever in the competition 👏
@ManCity | #UCL https://t.co/vzOekHvPQq
The two sides are scheduled to lock horns at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg of the tie on Wednesday. Guardiola and Co will be hoping that De Bruyne is firing on all cylinders in Spain.
How has Kai Havertz fared for Chelsea this term
Havertz joined Chelsea from Bayern Leverkusen for around £76 million in the summer of 2020. He made a slow start to his life at Stamford Bridge, scoring nine and assisting eight goals in 45 matches across all competitions last term
However, the 22-year-old played a key role on Chelsea's road to Champions League glory last season. He scored the winner in the side's 1-0 win against Manchester City in the final of the competition.
Havertz appears to have settled in well at Chelsea this season. He has found the back of the net 13 times in 43 matches, while also providing six assists for his teammates.