Tag: Bayer Leverkusen

  • Hudson-Odoi close to joining Bayer Leverkusen

    Hudson-Odoi close to joining Bayer Leverkusen

    Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi is set to leave on loan to join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen

    According to Sky Sports, the young winger has assessed interest in him from more than 20 clubs around Europe.

    Hudson-Odoi will spend the season in the Bundesliga, where he hopes regular first-team football can reignite his career.

    The deal is not yet done, but Sky suggests that there is a willingness from both parties to find an agreement.

    Hudson-Odoi was close to signing for Borussia Dortmund on loan a year ago.

  • Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen held as penalty kick disallowed

    Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen held as penalty kick disallowed

    Third-placed Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 0-0 Bundesliga draw at Bochum on Sunday with Moussa Diaby having a goal from the penalty kick spot ruled out.

    The goal was disallowed because he slipped and touched the ball twice.

    The bizarre occurrence, with the ball looping up into the goal but not counting, was a rare highlight in a lacklustre game.

    But the point does little to harm Bayer Leverkusen’s chances of finishing in the 2022/2023 UEFA Champions League places with five games to go.

    Sunday’s later Bundesliga action also focuses on the race for the top four.

    RB Leipzig in fourth host sixth-placed Hoffenheim and fifth-placed Freiburg are at Eintracht Frankfurt.

    Bayern Munich beat Augsburg 1-0 on Saturday to edge closer to their 10th straight Bundesliga title.

  • Bundesliga: Haaland hits double in seven-goal comeback win

    Bundesliga: Haaland hits double in seven-goal comeback win

    Erling Braut Haaland’s brace helped Borussia Dortmund come from behind three times to claim a thrilling Bundesliga victory at Bayer Leverkusen.

    Haaland, who also grabbed an assist, cancelled out Florian Wirtz’s opener with a towering header and later scored the winner from the penalty spot.

    In a frantic encounter, Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick and French winger Moussa Diaby scored for Leverkusen.

    But goals from Haaland, Julian Brandt and Raphael Guerreiro saved Dortmund.

    England midfielder Jude Bellingham had a goal ruled out for Dortmund shortly before half-time and Schick capitalised to put Leverkusen in the driving seat going into the break.

    But Leverkusen’s lead lasted only minutes into the second half as Brandt controlled Haaland’s pass with his heel before firing into the roof of the net.

    Six minutes later, Diaby’s long-range strike made it 3-2 to the hosts, but Guerreiro’s superb free-kick once again brought Dortmund level.

    Marco Reus was eventually awarded a penalty when he was struck in the face by the arm of Odilon Kossounou and Haaland kept his cool to slot in the winner for Dortmund in the 77th minute.

  • Arsenal edging closer to signing Bayer Leverkusen defender

    Arsenal edging closer to signing Bayer Leverkusen defender

    Premier League club Arsenal are edging closer to signing a centre-back ahead of the new season.

    Mikel Arteta is seeking a replacement for David Luiz, who is leaving at the expiry of his contract.

    And according to TuttoMercatoWeb, Arsenal are close to securing Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen.

    The Gunners are ready to sign the 22-year-old for a fee of around €18 million up front.

    Tapsoba played against Arsenal twice for VitoriaGuimaraes in the 2019/2020 Europa League group stages.

    Already capped 14 times by Burkina Faso, Tapsoba is a player who scouts believe has immense potential.

    He joined Leverkusen from Vitoria in January 2020 for €18m.

  • Chelsea on track as Havertz misses Leverkusen fitness tests

    Chelsea on track as Havertz misses Leverkusen fitness tests

    Kai Havertz missed Bayer Leverkusen’s fitness assessments over the weekend, reports have claimed.

    The 21-year-old is being strongly linked with a move to Chelsea.

    And according to Bild, Havertz attended Leverkusen’s facility for coronavirus tests on Friday and Saturday, but not to undertake his personal tests.

    Frank Lampard is looking at the Germany international to complete his summer spending spree.

    The Blues boss has spent big money on Ben Chilwell, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech; while Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr have signed on free transfers.

  • Chelsea still €20m off Havertz asking price

    Chelsea still €20m off Havertz asking price

    Chelsea have attempted to sign Kai Havertz for €65 million (£58m/$76m) with another €15m (£13m/$18m) included in add-ons – but the offer remains €20m (£18m/$24m) below Bayer Leverkusen’s €100m (£87m/$118m) asking price.

    The Blues had waited until the completion of Leverkusen’s Europa League campaign before advancing talks for the 21-year-old who remains their priority transfer target, alongside Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell.

    According to Goal, the Germany international has already spoken of his intent to leave his boyhood club this summer and he has verbally agreed on the personal terms that the west Londoners are offering.

    It now looks almost certain that he will become the most expensive German football transfer of all time, after Timo Werner’s £47.5m ($62m) move to Chelsea two months ago.

    He would also likely be the Blues’ all-time record signing ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who cost £71m ($93m) to bring in from Athletic Club.

    Still, the Blues need to agree on a fee to complete the talks and Leverkusen’s sporting director Rudi Voller has taken a strong public stance.

  • Man Utd in late bid to overtake Chelsea for Havertz

    Man Utd in late bid to overtake Chelsea for Havertz

    Manchester United are considering a late move to trump Chelsea for Bayer Leverkusen ace Kai Havertzm.

    The Manchester Evening News says United could hijack Chelsea’s transfer bid to sign Havertz if they cannot get a deal done for Jadon Sancho.

    Havertz is widely expected to join Frank Lampard’s side this summer, although the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder had previously been linked with interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.

    United have made Sancho their top target for this transfer window – although Borussia Dortmund have so far played hardball over their £100million-rated star man.

    The Bundesliga club said on Monday that Sancho would be staying in Germany with the Red Devils having so far failed to meet their asking price.

    And while United have not given up hope of signing Sancho, if they continue to be frustrated they could turn instead to Havertz.

  • Hargreaves questions Chelsea move for Kai Havertz

    Hargreaves questions Chelsea move for Kai Havertz

    Former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has questioned Chelsea’s move for Bayer Leverkusen ace Kai Havertz.

    Frank Lampard has already added Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, while their defence was shown to be highly vulnerable in a 7-1 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

    “He’s a really good player,” Hargreaves told BT Sport. “He’s a great young player, but they have a lot of those great young players.

    “I think they need some leaders in there. Havertz for £90 million, you want ready-made, walks in and makes you a better team and I think the worry is they spend right now £200 million on Werner, Ziyech and Havertz and they can still finish fourth or fifth.

    “They want to win a title and I think Havertz is a special player but it feels like they need to sort out the keeper and the centre-backs first.

    “Mason Mount could play in there, where does Mason then play? He’s had a good season.”

  • Leverkusen upset with Chelsea chief negotiating tactics for Havertz

    Leverkusen upset with Chelsea chief negotiating tactics for Havertz

    Bayer Leverkusen are concerned with the negotiating tactics of Chelsea managing director Marina Granovskaia over their move for Kai Havertz.

    The Daily Mail says Granovskaia has sensationally been accused of espionage after reportedly asking her network of agents to find potential weaknesses in Bayer Leverkusen’s hierarchy as she tries to bring down the cost of signing Havertz.

    BILD reports Granovskaia is trying to discover any potential flaws within the Leverkusen negotiating team in order to make the deal better for the Blues.

    It is claimed Granovskaia has asked ‘several German player consultants’ about information on Rudi Voller and Fernando Carro, who will be at the forefront of negotiations for the Bundesliga side.

    Granovskaia has a reputation for her fierce negotiating skills, proven by the way she handled Eden Hazard’s departure to Real Madrid last summer.

  • Leverkusen teammates urging Havertz to reject Chelsea

    Leverkusen teammates urging Havertz to reject Chelsea

    Bayer Leverkusen teammates are urging Kai Havertz to resist a move away to Chelsea.

    Havertz has reportedly agreed personal terms with Chelsea so negotiations are now ongoing between the west London club and Leverkusen over a transfer fee.

    Meanwhile, the German international has returned to training as his Bundesliga outfit prepare for the postponed second leg of their Europa League Round-of-16 tie against Rangers next month.

    And Leverkusen midfielder Nadiem Amiri has admitted that Havertz’s impending transfer has been attracting some attention in the dressing room, although the squad would prefer to focus on their upcoming match.

    Amiri told SPORT1: “We don’t want to talk about it at all.

    “In training we are very relaxed, nobody would go there and speak to him and ask ‘What are you doing now?’

    “The boy is concerned with that himself.

    “I hope he makes the right decision.

    “There are always a few jokes and a few things said. But we need Kai! We also have to leave his head alone.”