Incoming Arsenal star Kai Havertz once missed key Champions League game for exams

Kai Havertz has been playing at the highest level for so long, it’s easy to forget he is still only 24.

The Chelsea forward has been a professional footballer for seven years, making his debut for Bayer Leverkusen in 2016 at 17 years, four months and five days old to become the youngest player to feature for Leverkusen’s first team.

He was so young football wasn’t his main focus immediately given he was still in secondary school and had crucial A-Levels coming up.

It meant he had to sit out a Cup game and Champions League knockout game against Atletico Madrid, which they lost.

However, sacrificing playing time in multiple competitions to hit the books did not go how he would have hoped.

“I had to do my secondary school exams at the same time as playing in the DFB Cup,” Havertz told Bundesliga.com.

“I had an exam on Wednesday after an away game on the Tuesday evening that went to extra time and penalties. I got home relatively late and had to do an exam the next day. I don’t want to talk about how it went!”

However, Havertz’s football career continued to take off as he became the first player to score 35 goals before turning 21 in Bundesliga history.

He then became Leverkusen captain at 21 during his final season with the club before sealing a £71million move to Chelsea in the summer of 2020, which made him the club’s second most expensive signing ever.

A year later he scored the only goal of the Champions League final as Chelsea beat Man City.

However, while domestically he hasn’t hit the heights he was hoping for in terms of trophies won, his luck could be about to change thanks to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal are on the verge of sealing a £65 million transfer that would take him across London.

“Talent comes at a price, and at Arsenal, we are always interested in youngsters with experience,” Arteta said.

“I repeat, I’m not talking about players from other clubs, but in the case of Kai he has already shown a lot, including in the Champions League.

“He is a talented player, versatile and only 24 years old.”

Whether his exams off the pitch were a success or not, he has certainly passed with flying colours on it.