Anyone skeptical about Kai Havertz should reconsider. The German midfielder is becoming a nightmare for Premier League defenders.
Spending £60 million, Arsenal bought a midfielder but received a striker. Was there confusion here? The answer is no. Havertz is transforming from midfielder to central striker.
Havertz’s unexpected value
On the Amex Stadium field in Brighton on the morning of April 7th (according to Hanoi time), in the 62nd minute, Havertz tapped the ball into the home team’s net after a cross from Jorginho. This goal doubled Arsenal’s lead, and the away team’s fans continued to praise the German star.
“A shot from Havertz, the £60 million star scores again,” Arsenal fans cheered from a corner of the Amex Stadium stands. This was also a message to those who had previously criticized Havertz. The German midfielder truly turned the tables on all predictions.
Arsenal was not wrong to spend £60 million to buy Havertz. Coach Mikel Arteta’s belief in this former Chelsea player has been proven correct.
At the beginning of the season, Havertz appeared lost, desperate, and almost worthless. Those things have disappeared in recent days, revealing the most authentic image of the £60 million signing. Havertz has become one of the best-performing “forwards” since the beginning of 2024.
In Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Brighton in the 32nd round of the Premier League, Havertz stood out in the center forward position. In the last 7 matches, the 24-year-old player scored 8 goals, including 5 goals and 3 assists. A strong message conveyed by Havertz. He deserves to be the most expensive signing.
At this time last season, Arsenal struggled in the Premier League title race. A year later, the London representative has undergone a transformation. What Man City or Liverpool can do best, Arsenal can completely achieve.
“The Gunners” are the team with the fewest losses. All thanks to the outstanding center-back duo of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. Arsenal also has a defensive midfielder no less than Man City’s Rodri, that is Declan Rice. The best defensive midfielder in the Premier League.
Arsenal also has the creative Martin Odegaard up top. He is always ready to make passes with a very high IQ, capable of breaking down even the most solid defenses.
But at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, Havertz truly brought about the biggest change for Arsenal compared to last year. The goals from the German midfielder helped “The Gunners” soar.
“He has a big impact on the team,” Arsenal’s Arteta said of Havertz. “The number of goals Havertz brings to Arsenal is really high. The understanding between him and the surrounding satellites is also impressive.”
Turning point
At the Amex Stadium, Havertz ran tirelessly. His intelligent off-the-ball movement also helped the German midfielder dominate the space well. More precisely, Havertz knew how to choose the right positions to create threatening situations for the opponent’s goal.
Brighton’s defense this season may not be as solid as before, but it is still hard to beat. However, Havertz made Lewis Dunk and the surrounding satellites go through a nightmare. They had to constantly work to mark a forward (Havertz) moving all over the field.
Havertz is now Arsenal’s untouchable central forward. Even when Jesus returns, the Brazilian striker cannot shake the position of his teammate. So far, Havertz has scored 9 goals and provided 5 assists in the Premier League. This performance completely surpasses his time at Chelsea.
The £60 million signing is enjoying a new role at Arsenal. This also helps the club save a lot of money in transfer fees. In January, Arsenal were urged to buy another forward, with Ivan Toney of Brentford being the top target. After all, “The Gunners” said no to the winter transfer window.
It was truly a risky gamble. But not taking risks isn’t Arteta’s style. Since deciding to buy Havertz, who had a very disappointing final year at Chelsea, he has made that clear.
At the end of the day, Havertz proves that he is still very valuable. His goals help Arsenal soar and could become crucial highlights in leading the club to the Premier League title.