‘He’s got to continue’: Jamie Carragher warns 22-year-old Chelsea player he could be replaced next season

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Jamie Carragher has warned Chelsea’s Kai Havertz that his great form recently doesn’t guarantee he won’t be replaced in the team next season.

Havertz, 22, is enjoying arguably his best spell as a Blues player since his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020.

The German forward is getting a decent run of starts in the number nine position, leaving teammate Romelu Lukaku frustrated on the bench.

His exquisite goal at the weekend in the Premier League during a 1-0 win against Newcastle United highlighted the kind of confidence he’s currently playing with. Glenn Hoddle was left waxing lyrical about the striker’s finish on Sunday, too.

Carragher highlighted Havertz’s recent impact at Stamford Bridge during some analysis last night. However, he suggests the youngster must keep this momentum up, or Chelsea may look to bring in a new forward in the summer to lead the line.

“It feels to me like this is the first time Kai Havertz has actually had a real role in this team and hasn’t felt like he’s almost taking somebody’s place,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Main Event channel on the Monday Night Football programme (7:17pm, 14 March). “But I do think there’s big questions, still around Havertz, but also Lukaku.

“If this situation continues with Havertz as the main striker, I don’t see Lukaku at Chelsea next season. I think he’d have to move on. I don’t think he’s a guy you could have on the bench and use him sporadically, I think he’d be moving on.

“But if this is Havertz’s chance in terms of being that central striker and playing week-in week-out, I almost feel from now until the end of the season, he’s got to continue the form he’s in right now. Otherwise Chelsea may go and do what they did in the summer and go and buy another Lukaku or another attacking player.

“… This is why Kai Havertz is playing because his movement with and without the ball for Chelsea is much better than Lukaku.”

Havertz can be long-term Chelsea solution

Yes, all the excitement around Havertz right now is justified.

The left-footer is up to 11 goals for the season across all competitions, and anyone who watched him regularly in the Bundesliga knows what a special talent he is.

It’s been a massive delight to watch him start to impact games consistently in Thomas Tuchel’s XI.

Chelsea are still waiting for a striker to follow in the footsteps of Diego Costa and Didier Drogba, but perhaps it’s a more modern attacker that can fit the mould of the next Blues number nine.

Havertz’s technique and all-round game means he brings so much to the line-up when on form, plus he does have a real calmness and touch of finesse in front of goal.

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