Real Madrid 'tried to hijack Arsenal's move for Kai Havertz from Chelsea' with 'late phone call'

Real Madrid held talks with Kai Havertz to try and persuade the German across to Spain - but were unable to beat Arsenal to his signature.

Havertz completed a £65m move from Chelsea to Arsenal earlier this week, with Mikel Arteta planning to utilise his first summer signing in a midfield position, rather than upfront.

But a report in Spain suggests that the 24-year-old was given the option of LaLiga football, before he eventually opted for another Premier League challenge.

Relevo claim that Real Madrid held talks with the German international about a possible move to the Spanish capital - and were willing to meet the price that the Gunners paid to secure Havertz's services.

The Spanish giants - who finished second in LaLiga last season, ten points behind arch-rivals Barcelona - were initially put off by Chelsea's asking price, and hoped that the west Londoners would reduce it.

Real Madrid also inquired about the Spanish language, and the players already on the books at the Bernabeu which the German would have linked up with if he had joined.

The club's chief scout Juni Calafat - credited with being a key cog in the acquisition of Jude Bellingham - has held long-term ambitions to bring Havertz to the Bernabeu, with interest starting in 2020 just before he joined Chelsea.

The German was thought to be interested in coming to Madrid. However, he was ultimately swayed by Arsenal's interest, which means he will remain a Premier League player for the time being.

Even when the Arsenal deal looked to be the most likely outcome, Real Madrid still made a last-minute phone call to try and change Havertz's mind - to no avail.

On joining the Gunners, Havertz said: 'It's super exciting for me to be joining this amazing club and to be part of the Arsenal family. This club has such a big history, and I hope we can achieve lots of things.

'The mentality in the Arsenal squad is very high and you can feel that. That was one of the reasons why it has been so hard to play against Arsenal recently.'

Havertz spent three years at Stamford Bridge, scoring the winning goal in Chelsea's Champions League final success in 2021. However, he has also found it difficult to find goals during the past season, as the Blues floundered to a 12th-placed finish in the league.

The German also vented his frustration after his unveiling video for Arsenal was leaked before he could confirm his exit from Chelsea with an emotional farewell message to fans of the Blues.

Manchester City have confirmed the signing of another Chelsea player, Mateo Kovacic, for £25m on a four-year deal, as the Blues look to revamp their squad under Mauricio Pochettino.

Arsenal are also building for the upcoming season, with a £105m deal for West Ham's Declan Rice seemingly imminent, and other purchases likely to be made before the closure of the transfer window.