Bayer Leverkusen youngster says he's ready for next step amid Liverpool interest

Kai Havertz

The 20-year-old midfielder has been linked with a move to Anfield this summer, but the Reds could face competition for his signature from the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

However, the Germany international is calm about his next move as he focuses on preparing for another season with his current employers.

“I am honest, at some point the next step must come for me,” he told Bild.

“But I’m not going to worry about when exactly that will happen.

“What counts now is Bayer Leverkusen. We still have a lot to do. Leverkusen very quickly signalled that they wanted to keep me.

“That’s why it wasn’t an issue for me. Now I’m starting my tenth year here, maybe we can make it a golden one for the club.

“What will happen afterwards has not yet been decided. There is no club where I have already signed.”

Havertz was also questioned about speculation that he could be heading to Bavaria next to join Bundesliga champions Bayern.

“I really don’t know yet whether Bayern is the next and right step for me,” he said.

“I also don’t know whether foreign countries would not be more suitable for me. I really don’t think too much about it at the moment.

“I have that self-confidence, yes [that I could play for Bayern]. But the same applies to other clubs as well.”

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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.