Reus keen to 'guide' Leverkusen star Havertz to Dortmund
Marco Reus will "try everything" to get Kai Havertz to join Borussia Dortmund.
Following Julian Brandt's switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Signal Iduna Park in the close season, BVB captain Reus has his eye on another of their Bundesliga counterparts' prized assets.
Havertz, training this week alongside Reus in preparation for Germany's European Championship qualifier against Netherlands on Friday, enjoyed a breakout campaign last season with 17 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances.
Asked if he saw Havertz playing for rivals Bayern Munich in the future, Reus told Sport1: "I will try everything to guide him to Dortmund.
"I don't know how much further the fees will increase and if it could maybe be too much for Dortmund.
"But I will try my best just as I did with Julian Brandt. And now, with Julian, I have an ally who knows him [Havertz] very well. So, let's see what happens."
9 - No player has scored the opening goal of a game in the Top 5 European leagues 2018-19 more often than Kai Havertz (9, same as Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Borja Iglesias and Cristhian Stuani). Start. #BLCountdown #Bundesliga #Optafranz pic.twitter.com/WLFY4iY1q2
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) August 7, 2019
Havertz said to Sky Deutschland he was not concerned by being linked to Bayern and a host of Premier League heavyweights during the recent transfer window, only for no move to materialise.
"They haven't scared me off," he said.
"I don't know exactly what it was like with Timo [Werner, the RB Leipzig and Germany forward], but it just didn't happen for me this year. I think there were a number of reasons why.
"But I'm happy to be here and stay in Leverkusen for another year. We'll see what will happen next summer."
The matter immediately at hand for Reus, Havertz and their Germany team-mates is the latest instalment of one of international football's most intense rivalries.
Netherlands beat Germany on their way to the Nations League Finals last season, although Joachim Low's side gained a measure of revenge with a thrilling 3-2 Euro 2020 qualification win in Amsterdam in March.
"I can still remember when we won at home in Hamburg in 2011 [a 3-0 friendly victory]," Reus told a news conference.
"They're just great games and classics where you're on the pitch thinking, 'Great to be here!'.
"You try to give your best for your country. That's why there's nothing nicer when you leave the field after 90 minutes as the winner… hopefully."