19 October 2023 , 07:44
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Arsenal's £65million man Kai Havertz is the subject of a particularly brutal review from ex-Gunners defender William Gallas, who has been left unimpressed by the German's start at the Emirates.
Gallas knows what it's like to make the move from Chelsea to Arsenal having completed the same route as Havertz 17 years prior. More question marks surrounded the midfielder's recent switch, given the 24-year-old drastically underwhelmed at Stamford Bridge, which led to eyebrows being raised when Mikel Arteta forked out so much to bring him to north London.
Havertz has had to juggle two different roles since joining Arsenal. Arteta is keen on reinventing the Champions League winner as a left-sided central midfielder in the same position that Granit Xhaka occupied last term. However, his best performances so far have undeniably come when he's been deployed in the false nine role.
It is a position Havertz is more comfortable with, having spent the overwhelming majority of his time at Chelsea there. Last time out, it was Havertz who popped up with a key assist to provide Gabriel Martinelli's dramatic winner against title rivals Manchester City, but Gallas remains unconvinced.
"I’m not impressed with Kai Havertz so far,’ the former Arsenal and Chelsea defender told Lord Ping. "He’s done nothing since he joined Arsenal. He may have scored, but that was only because Martin Odegaard let him take a penalty!
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"Havertz hasn’t done anything yet, and I think he’s in trouble. I don’t think Arsenal should have signed Kai Havertz. I think that was a mistake. If you spent £60 million on a striker, you expect them to score at least 15 goals in a season! I don’t think that’ll happen.
"Arsenal don’t have time! The season may be long, but clubs need results straight away. Havertz was at Chelsea for three years and knows the Premier League well. It may take a while to settle into a new team, but he already lived in London! Players need to adapt immediately – they don’t have time."
HAVE YOUR SAY! Is Gallas' assessment of Havertz's Arsenal stay so far fair? Comment below
Kai Havertz has struggled so far at Arsenal (Getty Images)There would be no better time for Havertz to spark his Arsenal career into life than on Saturday evening, when he returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since his Chelsea exit. With just one goal to his name so far, a penalty against Bournemouth, anothere strike against the Blues could kickstart his Gunners stay.
It remains unclear what kind of reception he'll get from the home faithful. For all of the disappointment surrounding his time as a Chelsea player, it was Havertz who scored the goal that won the club their second Champions League title.
His focus now of course will be on scoring goals to keep Arsenal in the title race. Arteta's side sit second in the table, level on points with league leaders Tottenham having scored two goals less.