Mikel Arteta backs 'frustrating' Arsenal star after furious Gary Neville blast
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has thrown his support behind Kai Havertz, despite scathing criticism from Gary Neville.
Havertz, who signed from London rivals Chelsea in a £65million transfer deal last summer, has only scored five goals in 33 games for the Gunners, having been used as both a central striker and an attack-minded midfielder. During Arsenal's statement 3-1 win at home to Liverpool earlier this month, ex-Manchester United captain Neville admitted that the 24-year-old 'frustrated him'.
And this week, a report claimed that Arteta was 'losing patience' with Havertz, adding that the Gunners would look to sell the one-time Real Madrid target in the summer transfer window. But during a press conference on Friday, the Arsenal boss said otherwise.
"I love him," Arteta declared, having guided the Gunners to a whopping 6-0 victory last Sunday away to West Ham. "I think we all love him as a player as a person, everything that he brings to the team.
"There were two or three moments the other day at 4-0, 5-0, 6-0 with how he attracts people, how he's constantly attacking the box and how he affects the play that I really like. If you ask him to play as a nine, as a left-attacking midfielder, as a right-attacking midfielder, on the base defending, he does it. He's just a joy to work with."
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Neville didn't love Havertz so much when the Germany international faced Liverpool just under a fortnight ago. After Havertz arrived late to a Bukayo Saka cross during the first half, the exasperated former United captain asked while on commentary for Sky Sports: "How many times this season have I seen and am going to see an Arsenal centre-forward who isn’t actually a centre forward arrive too late in the box when the cross comes in?
"It's so frustrating to watch, it's Havertz who comes in late on his heels - he needs to be there earlier. He needs to get across his man, he's in no-man's-land, he'll never be found by Saka in the position he's in."
Your turn! Will Kai Havertz justify his £65m price tag? Join the debate in the comments section.
Kai Havertz has failed to score a single goal in 2024 (Visionhaus/Getty Images)Recently, Havertz has benefitted from an injury to first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus but would no doubt find game-time harder to come by if Arsenal sealed a stunning transfer swoop for French superstar Kylian Mbappe. Having told Paris Saint-Germain that he'll be leaving the club this summer when his mega-money contract expires, Mbappe has been tentatively linked with a move to North London, although Real Madrid remain the clear frontrunners.
Responding to speculation, Arteta insisted: "When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation. But as you said it looks in a different way."
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