Chelsea Travel: £310k-A-Week Kai Havertz Willing To Fund His Own Flights To Away Games

Chelsea star Kai Havertz has insisted that he would be willing to dip into his own pocket to fund flights to away games this season.

A special license was issued to Chelsea by the UK government last week to allow the club to continue operating, after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned for his alleged links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Among the conditions of the special license is a clause that states that the club can only spend up to £20,000 on travel to away games.

Chelsea had already paid for flights to Lille for Wednesday's Champions League second leg before their restrictions were put in place.

But their plans for Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final at Middlesbrough are set to be affected.

Under normal circumstances, Chelsea would fly when playing in the north-east of England.

But chartering a plane would take them beyond their £20,000 spending cap, so it is expected that they will go to and from Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium by coach.

Such a bus journey will likely take around five hours each way.

Chelsea's team bus pictured at Norwich City earlier this month

IMAGO/Joe Giddens

Havertz was quizzed about the subject of away travel when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.

James Robson, a journalist for the London Evening Standard, said to 21-year-old Havertz: "We know about all the difficulties you are going to be having after Lille in terms of traveling to away games.

"With there being that £20,000 limit, I'm wondering would the players be willing to pay their own way in order to make sure you don't have to do things like a 10-hour bus ride?"

Havertz, who earns £310,000 per week according to a report by The Sun last year, replied: "I would pay, it's no problem.

"That's not a big deal for us. I think for us to come to the games is the most important thing.

"I think there are a lot of harder things in the world right now than if we have to take the bus or the plane to an away game.

"I would pay it, it's no problem."

Travel is not the only issue Chelsea are facing ahead of Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough.

The club have sold fewer than 600 away tickets for the match and are not allowed to make further sales because of their license.

Chelsea have consequently requested that the FA order the match to be played behind closed doors to ensure Middlesbrough do not receive an unfair advantage.

The FA will not grant this request and it was met with widespread condemnation.

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