Mikel Arteta “Really Happy” With Kai Havertz’s Start At Arsenal

By The Editor
on 17th August 2023

Mikel Arteta is liking what he sees from Kai Havertz…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta made it clear that he is delighted with how Kai Havertz has started his Gunners career following his summer move from Chelsea, he told reporters.

Havertz arrived for a hefty £65million fee in June and it’s safe to say that fans have been far from totally sold on his role at the football club.

The 24-year-old started the Community Shield in a centre-forward position and while he produced a solid overall performance, the German international wasted two golden opportunities.

In our opening Premier League game against Nottingham Forest, Havertz played slightly deeper in an attacking midfield position and was largely anonymous.

It remains to be seen which position Arteta sees Havertz consistently occupying as the season continues.

“He’s fitted in really well,” the Spaniard said ahead of our match at Crystal Palace on Monday.

“I think he played a really good game against Man City, he had two big, big chances to score, and he didn’t, but everything he did apart from that he was excellent.

“The other day as well he played in two different positions throughout the game, one more as a number eight, one more as a number 10.

“I’m really happy with what he’s bringing to the team, his intensity, his mobility, his threat, his understanding of the game and spaces and the way he’s fitted in around the boys as well, so I’m really, really happy with him,” Arteta added.

Stylistically, it is really difficult to see Havertz fitting in our team in a midfield position, though he can offer us something different up front.

The former Leverkusen star gives us a physical presence that Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah can’t, with 30% of his goals for Chelsea coming aerially.

With a London derby looming, one imagines Arteta will field Havertz up front with Partey moving back into a traditional midfield position.