Havertz has ingredients to silence doubters and become £65m bargain for Arsenal

23 June 2023 , 06:00

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Kai Havertz is joining Arsenal from Chelsea (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Stroking chins and percolating wisdom, social media oracles already have misgivings about Arsenal's £65million swoop for Kai Havertz.

The German striker rarely set the world alight at Chelsea, give or take scoring the Champions League final winner against Manchester City two years ago.

And apart from his experience, versatility, aerial threat, young age and Premier League oven-readiness, Gunners fans are anxious to find out where Havertz will fit into manager Mikel Arteta's grand design. The player is expected to undergo a medical in the next 48 hours, with the deal formally rubber-stamped early next week.

‌First and foremost, Havertz offers cover, across a variety of positions anywhere across the front line, in a squad which will be stretched across four competitions, including the Champions League, from August.

Arteta believes he can prosper as the lone striker up top, at No.10 – where Havertz shone for Bayer Leverkusen before his £71m move to Stamford Bridge three years ago – or as an advanced, left-sided midfielder, a role where Granit Xhaka shone early last season.

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Havertz has played 2,774 minutes as an orthodox centre-forward since his move to Stamford Bridge in 2020 – more than all other attacking or midfield positions put together. And he admitted last year: “I don't have a favourite position. I know I'm not a real No.9, just waiting in the box and doing headers.

“I want to be influential in the game, get on the ball, drop sometimes into midfield and start attacks there. After three years, everyone should know by now what I can do – that I'm flexible up front and I can play a lot of different positions.

Kai Havertz has been misunderstood at Chelsea (Dave Shopland/REX/Shutterstock)

Mike Walters