Arsenal told £280k-a-week star ‘struggling’ with the suggestion his fans ‘don’t like him’

Follow us on Google Discover

Mario Melchiot has claimed that Kai Havertz is ‘struggling’ with the suggestion that the Arsenal fans ‘don’t like him’.

Before the 24-year-old could enter the Arsenal building, there was a lot of noise around his possible transfer from Chelsea and why Mikel Arteta was bringing him in – he was called a ‘flop’ from the off.

Given Kai Havertz’s slow start to life in north London, all that summer talk just gained extra fuel and it allowed the critics to verbally bash him even further.

But on Saturday, during Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Bournemouth, Kai Havertz opened his account from the penalty spot, with Mario Melchiot defending the call to let him take the penalty, as he told ESPN.

Liverpool legend Stevie Nicol thought it was ‘unprofessional’ because the game wasn’t done and dusted.

And whilst former Dutch international Mario Melchiot didn’t agree with that, he did make a controversial claim about the £280k-a-week star (Spotrac) and his own fans.

Arsenal fans and Kai Havertz

“I understand what Stevie (Nicol) is saying ‘the game is not done because it’s 2-0’,” said Melchiot. But I think the bigger picture is very important.

“The fans don’t like Havertz. He is struggling with that. So, the moment he picks up the ball, then he has a lot of pressure.

“Giving him the ball, it could be the feeling of ‘let me get this guy feeling better because eventually the bigger picture is more important’. That would be the only reason for me to give him the ball.

“But, on the other side, I want to win the game. This (penalty) record. I didn’t even know he had that record. I have seen him taking penalties.”

Arsenal fans are fully behind Havertz

This narrative that is being put forward by certain sections of the media, such as Arsenal fans ‘don’t like’ Havertz or they are already getting on his back is nonsense.

When that penalty against Bournemouth went in, the Arsenal fans celebrated like it was a stoppage-time winner because they knew how much it meant to Havertz.

Whilst there has been a lot of talk about the German international from the outside, those inside the four walls of Arsenal are fully behind their big-money summer signing.