19 October 2023 , 10:28
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Jorginho and Kai Havertz are both set to make their first return to Stamford Bridge since leaving Chelsea on Saturday evening.
The Italian midfielder was the first to make the move to Arsenal, joining the Gunners during the January transfer window before Havertz followed suit six months later as part of a £65million switch. Both of them left behind complex legacies as Chelsea players, neither boasting the unwavering love and affection of the entire Stamford Bridge faithful.
That's not to say there weren't good moments, both played a vital part in the Champions League triumph of 2021, with Havertz netting the only goal of the game in the final. But both had their heads turned by what Mikel Arteta is building at the Emirates and there is a striking similarity in their respective reasons for making the move across London.
Speaking in the summer, after his transfer to the Gunners had been confirmed, Havertz highlighted one aspect of the Gunners dynamic in particular that stood out to him. "I think the family mentality that the team has on the pitch is one of the reasons why it so hard to play against Arsenal," he said.
"I guess they have it off the pitch as well. So the team mentality in the squad is very, very high and you can feel that. Obviously there's so many talented players and there’s big room to achieve big things as well."
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More recently, Jorginho spoke to Arsenal's in-house media and touched on a similar topic to Havertz when discussing how he has settled in since the switch at the turn of the year. “The way the club is now, it’s amazing for the new players," the 31-year-old explained.
"I can’t pick just one or two people who helped me when I arrived because so many did. Once I arrived here, the whole staff, the whole Arsenal family welcomed me so well. I'm talking not just about players and coaching staff but the medical staff, the people working in the office – so many people. They all try to make things easier for us to just go on the pitch and do our job.
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Kai Havertz and Jorginho have both praised the team spirit at Arsenal (Getty Images)"It's a big, big family where everyone feels involved and that's credit to the club, to Mikel, to Edu, for what they want to create. You can feel it's just special because when you have everyone together it’s a really, really nice feeling."
The fact that both Jorginho and Havertz described Arsenal's dressing room as a "family" is a testament to the culture and enviroment Arteta has managed to create. The Gunners boss walked into a broken club in the back end of 2019 and has transformed them into certified title challengers.
A win or draw on Saturday would continue Arteta's unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge as well as Arsenal's unbeaten start to the season. The Gunners sit second, boasting a near-identical record to their north London rivals Tottenham, but find themselves just below having scored two goals less.