"There's no limit for Kai Havertz" - Bayer Leverkusen and Germany teammate Jonathan Tah
There is no limit to what Bayer Leverkusen and Germany attacking midfielder Kai Havertz can accomplish, according to his teammate for club and country Jonathan Tah, who is relishing every day he gets to work with the 20-year-old.
Havertz, who only turned 20 in June, scored a record-breaking 17 Bundesliga goals – the most in a single season for a teenager – last season to help Leverkusen finish fourth and seal a return to the UEFA Champions League.
At the age of 18 years and 307 days, Havertz became the youngest player in Bundesliga history to make 50 appearances, while in April he marked his 100th appearance for Leverkusen with a goal.
The Aachen native, who started all but one of Die Werkself’s league matches last term, also netted three times in the UEFA Europa League, and will only get better, says Tah.
"In terms of his talent, there's no limit," Tah told the kicker meets DAZN podcast. "But as everybody knows, you don't only need talent but also hard work and I think if he keeps working hard and doesn't rest on his laurels, he can make it to the very top."
Watch: All 17 of Kai Havertz's Bundesliga goals in 2018/19
Tah is ideally placed to make such a judgement, having come up against Havertz in training on a daily basis since 2016. He also knows what the Leverkusen prodigy is like away from the field, and that is why his belief in him is so strong.
"He's a laid-back guy but I know there's a lot of pressure on him and everybody's expecting the same, if not more from him this year," Tah said.
"I've told him not to let the pressure get to him, and not to settle for anything but the best. I keep telling him that he can win all there is to win in football if he just keeps at it, because he's the kind of guy who can make it."
Watch: Havertz's attacking masterclass unlocked
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Havertz may have lost one of his partners in crime, Julian Brandt, this summer, with the 23-year-old moving to Borussia Dortmund. Nadiem Amiri and Kerem Demirbay have been drafted in to fill the void, though, and Tah is convinced Leverkusen can improve on last season's fourth-placed finish.
"I would definitely say we've strengthened," Tah said. "The new lads have got to get used to the way we play still, but I'm sure the squad's stronger now. It's great fun playing with them. I've played with one in the national team and one at Hamburg already, and I know they fit into our system perfectly.
"The players who have come in can play good football, and they can tackle and fight, and that's what we need for the style we play, which is why they're going to fit in so well.
"I think it will take a bit of time before we get settled, but I think we can improve our league position this year."
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