Souness slams transfer which has cost Arsenal star - "Every bit as good as him"

17 January 2024 , 08:05

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Graeme Souness has slammed Arsenal's decision to sign Kai Havertz (Image: Getty Images)

Graeme Souness believes Emile Smith Rowe is "every bit as good" as Kai Havertz and questioned Arsenal 's decision to spend £60million on the German.

Mikel Arteta landed the playmaker from Chelsea in the summer, three years after he arrived in the Premier League. Havertz endured mixed fortunes in west London, but clearly did enough to convince those at the Emirates to spend big sums on landing his signature.

Havertz has enjoyed regular minutes whilst Smith Rowe, an academy graduate, has largely struggled for opportunities. As a result he's being linked with the exit door but Souness is adamant the Englishman could be just as effective as his German team-mate, given the opportunity.

He told talkSPORT : "I like Smith Rowe. As a midfield player running into the box, clever passes, everything seems to be done when he is sprinting which I like. Goal threat. Then you go spend £60m, Arteta. So the point I want to make is that £60m, I think is a fair criticism. You know what I am on about, building a football team, you try to strengthen the weakest part of your team.

"I think for most people, Arsenal needed another striker with [Gabriel] Jesus. You go and take Kai Havertz from Chelsea for big money when really you’ve got a homegrown player that is every bit as good as him so that £60m should have been maybe directed towards a striker and that might cost them, a different kind of striker."

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Havertz endured a lengthy wait for his first Arsenal goal and there has been continued questions over his best position with Arteta still looking to get the German firing on all cylinders.

Emile Smith Rowe has struggled for minutes with Kai Havertz above him in the pecking order

The Spaniard is dealing with problems in the final third as the Gunners struggle for goals - Bukayo Saka is their top scorer with six. Arsenal have only won one of their last five league games, losing three, which has derailed their campaign somewhat. Ivan Toney has been among those linked, but a lack of funds is set to prove an issue.

Arteta has said: “At the moment it does not look realistic (we will sign a striker). What my job is, and what we have to do is improve our players and try to get better results with the players we have. What I beg from the supporters is that they are behind the team like they have been in difficult moments."

Samuel Meade