Rio Ferdinand compares Chelsea FC star Kai Havertz to Dimitar Berbatov
Rio Ferdinand believes Chelsea FC playmaker Kai Havertz shares some similarities with Dimitar Berbatov
Rio Ferdinand says he can see similarities between Chelsea FC playmaker Kai Havertz and former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.
The Germany international contributed an assist to Chelsea FC’s 2-0 win against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash on Wednesday night.
Havertz teed up Hakim Ziyech to break the deadlock in the first half of Chelsea FC’s 3-0 aggregate win over the La Liga side to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-final draw.
The 21-year-old has endured a challenging first season at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea FC signed the highly-rated German midfielder in a £71m deal from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Havertz has scored one goal and has made two assists in 21 games in the Premier League this season to make an underwhelming start to his Blues career.
BT Sport pundit Ferdinand believes Havertz is similar to his former Manchester United team-mate Berbatov after he watched the German playmaker help Chelsea FC reach the Champions League last eight.
“It has [taken him a while to adapt]. It is normal that not all players hit the ground running perfectly,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.
“He is one of them and he has taken the time to adapt. But I think you can see the quality is there, we saw at Bayer Leverkusen in previous years that he was a hugely talented footballer.
“It has taken time but I think in the end he will get there, he is somebody who has a good feel for the game. He reminds me a little bit of Berbatov in how cool, calm and collected he is.
“He is very silky, he plays on the edge of the game a little bit at times and drifts about.
“He looks like a nice boy, and I want to see a ruthless side to him come out. I think you can [instil it] on a football pitch, to get yourself out of position that he is in now you need to find something maybe that is not part of your makeup.
“Look and search for things you can add and that might get you on the steps to improving with your form.”
Havertz netted 29 times in 64 games in his last two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen before the German starlet mover to Chelsea FC last summer.
The 21-year-old is the second-most expensive signing in Chelsea FC’s history behind Spanish flop Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Chelsea FC will host Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
