Kai Havertz did not make an immediate impact at Arsenal following his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, but the former Stamford Bridge player is now starting to flourish at the Gunners.
Arsenal are aiming to win the Premier League title this season, and Kai Havertz is playing a big role for the North London club.
Havertz is playing as a false nine and is scoring goals and enabling others to do the same. The 24-year-old has scored eight goals and given three assists in the Premier League this season.
Pat Nevin gives his verdict on Kai Havertz at Chelsea
Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin has been impressed with Havertz, and the BBC Sport pundit has noted that one of the reasons why he was not a huge success at the Blues was that he was not played in the right position.
Havertz, who cost Chelsea £75 million in transfer fees when they signed him from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 (Sky Sports), scored the winning goal for the Blues in the final of the UEFA Champions League in 2021.
However, the Germany international attacker did not play consistently well for Chelsea, and Nevin has a theory as to why.
Nevin wrote about Havertz in his BBC Football Extra newsletter (6:01 pm, March 11, 2024): “Part of his problem until now has been his playing in positions that have not suited his skill set. Chelsea had him as an out and out central striker, which was madness for a player whose USP is arriving from deeper to score.
“He did this phenomenally at Bayer Leverkusen where he scored one if every three games, brilliant numbers for any young player who is not a ‘Number 9’.
“Chelsea forgot about his speciality, but Mikel Arteta didn’t, even if he has had to play him up top during the Gunners’ injury crisis.”
My View: Arsenal could see the best of Kai Havertz
In my opinion, Arsenal could see the best of Kai Havertz in the coming years. After all, he is 24 now and is still developing as a player.
Havertz’s best years are ahead of him. He is a very versatile player who can operate as a midfielder, forward and false nine. The 24-year-old has even played at left-back for Germany.
Arsenal could win the Premier League title this season and are starting to establish themselves as regulars in the UEFA Champions League again. That can only benefit Havertz, who is a very cultured footballer and is technically very good.
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