Liverpool's hopes of signing Bayer Leverkusen attacker Kai Havertz this summer could seemingly depend on whether Philippe Coutinho joins Bayern Munich on a permanent deal.
Bayern are thought to be in the box seat for Havertz ahead of this summer's transfer window, although Liverpool have also been strongly linked with a move for the Germany international.
The Bundesliga champions have the option to sign Coutinho on a permanent deal from Barcelona this summer, and according to former Bayern midfielder Michael Ballack, whether the club swoop for Havertz could largely hinge on the future of Coutinho, therefore potentially impacting on Liverpool's hopes of a deal.
"Whether you might be obliged to do so depends on Philippe Coutinho's future I don't want to make any recommendations there, but regardless of this: if Bayern act in perspective and you still want to get the best German players, Havertz has to be brought in," Ballack told Sport1.
"He is an exceptional player, but one thing is also clear, Havertz still needs time. He also needs the robustness to be mentally prepared for FC Bayern. I also needed my time in Leverkusen back then. Havertz must now look closely at his development. We do not need to talk about his footballing qualities because he is a top player.
"The Bavarians have to decide whether they need his role and what he is worth to them. He is sure to bring everything FC Bayern needs. But its possible transfer must also fit into the financial framework.
"He is still in the development phase and has bugs in his game. But that's normal too. What I can say: He is currently in good hands in Leverkusen. There he can develop his personality in peace. At FC Bayern you need other characteristics to assert yourself. Just being good is not enough there."
Havertz, who has also previously been linked with Manchester United, has scored five times and contributed two assists in 25 appearances for Leverkusen this season.
Matt Law
