Rangers could be handed a £72m (€80m) Europa League boost as Chelsea prepare a move for Kai Havertz – the star man of Euro rivals Bayer Leverkusen.
The highly-rated German talent has been a mainstay at the BayArena since breaking into the team as a 17-year-old and is expected to move on to bigger and better things this season.
According to the Guardian, Frank Lampard’s side head the queue for a potential £72m (€80m) deal with add-ons with 21-year-old Havertz “willing” to join the London Blues.
It remains to be seen whether any deal would be concluded before Rangers face off against Leverkusen in the Europa League on August 6th or if Havertz would still be allowed to finish the tournament.
But what is considered clear by a spate of reports is that Havertz is eager to move on from the German side after they failed to qualify for the Champions League through the Bundesliga.
Peter Bosz’s side also strumbled at the final hurdle of the DFB Pokal, or German Cup, being beaten 4-2 by Bayern Munich.
The Germans can secure an automatic qualification spot for the Champions League should they win the Europa League this season.
Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid have also all been credited with an interest in the player.
Should Havertz sign a deal at Chelsea and move to Stamford Bridge before the mini-tournament in Germany between August 6th and 21st it would represent a significant boost to the Ibrox club’s chances.
Rangers trail 3-1 to Leverkusen from the first leg at Ibrox in March, with Kai Havertz opening the scoring from the penalty spot.
Charles Aranguiz has the Germans 2-0 up before George Edmundson offered the Ibrox side a lifeline, but a late Leon Bailey goal has given the Gers a mountain to climb.
Rangers must score three goals in Germany to stand any chance of progressing with assistant manager Gary McAllister believing the first goal will be all-important in the round of 16 tie.
Should Rangers achieve the seemingly impossible they will meet either La Liga side Getafe or Serie A’s Inter Milan in the Europa League Quarter Finals.