Kai Havertz: Me & Declan Were Messaging Each Other About Our Summer Moves To Arsenal

By The Editor
on 30th November 2023

Kai Havertz reveals depth of Declan Rice relationship…

Arsenal midfielder Kai Havertz has revealed that he’s known Declan Rice long before they became teammates, with the two midfielders messaging each other last summer for updates on their respective moves to Arsenal, he told Football Daily.

Havertz became the club’s first signing of the summer in June, joining from Chelsea for £65million in a move which seemed to gather momentum rather quickly.

Fans were anticipating the arrival of two new midfielders given the needs of the squad and the impending departure of Granit Xhaka, but the former Chelsea man was a name that appeared abruptly.

The 24-year-old also represented the most expensive signing of Arteta’s reign, though that record would be smashed a matter of weeks later with the signing of Rice.

Now, speaking months after the aforementioned duo arrived, Havertz revealed he and Rice were texting each other to offer updates on their respective moves.

“I knew him already before, we met up once,” Havertz said about Rice.

“We were also messaging each other before we came to Arsenal saying ‘What’s going on?’

“He’s a great person, a very good guy and, on the pitch as well, he’s still so young – I think he’s my age. He shows every week what he can do on the pitch.

“He’s a very important player for us at the moment.”

Despite their age and high-profile moves, the contrast between their starts at the club couldn’t have been more diametrical. Rice’s displays have been so impressive that nobody is even discussing his hefty £105million fee as he validates Arteta’s relentless pursuit of him.

Havertz had found it a lot more difficult in the opening few months of his Arsenal career, resulting in Arteta taking him out of the side for a while.

The German international does now seem settled in the role the Spaniard envisaged for him, scoring twice in as many games and looking more sure of his position on the pitch.

With the team currently at the summit of the Premier League and qualified for the last-16 stage of the Champions League as group winners, Arteta’s summer business is currently looking rosy.