16 February 2024 , 11:45
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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."