Mikel Arteta thinks he can get the most out of Kai Havertz. Photo: Getty Images/Harriet Lander
What is Kai Havertz? It's a question that even Thomas Tuchel, his former manager at Chelsea, sometimes struggled to answer. «He's a unique player,» Tuchel said two years ago. “Does he need to settle for one special position? Or is he some kind of hybrid?”
Half striker and half midfielder, Havertz has rarely looked completely satisfied with his role at Chelsea. The German hybrid has played under three managers at Stamford Bridge, working in a variety of systems, and even now it is still not clear what his best position could be.
Well, at least not to the general public. Given Arsenal's eagerness to sign Havertz this summer, it's clear Mikel Arteta has a clear idea of how to make the most of the 24-year-old's considerable talent. Where some observers may see uncertainty, Arteta clearly sees opportunity.
A big part of Havertz's appeal to Arsenal is his versatility. Arteta and sporting director Edu have tended to target agile players capable of working in a wide variety of positions, and the roving Havertz ticks the same box.
However, versatility alone does not make a £50 million player. This is not the kind of fee Arsenal would pay for someone who is just going to be substituted when others are unavailable, and Havertz's expectations — if a deal is agreed, as expected now — will be much higher than usual. placed on the rotation options.
What else does he offer Arsenal? One of the simplest answers is height. At 6ft 2in, Havertz provides Arteta with a different physicality in his offensive options. None of Arsenal's active forwards are over 5'11″. None of them are particularly adept at offensive crosses.
Havertz is not a target, but he strikes impressively in the air and knows how to find a place in the penalty area. Of his 32 goals for Chelsea, 10 were headers. “He is very comfortable in high positions, he is very good at attacking headers, he has a good moment to get into the box, good finishing, good composure in the box,” Tuchel said in 2021.
Alpine Kai! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/g13cHsK3Rh
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 15, 2023
Havertz spent most of his Chelsea career as a striker, but his best football at Bayer Leverkusen ” from Leverkusen fell into a deeper position. The idea of Havertz playing as an attacking midfielder — possibly alongside Martin Odegaard — will be a source of intrigue for longtime watchers of the German international.
Naturally, this role has defensive requirements that can go beyond Havertz's usual skill set. But if he can switch between midfield and attack when Arsenal have the ball, choosing moments to go behind the lines and lose, he will offer another level of flexibility and cunning in their attacking play.
He could play as a false nine instead of Gabriel Jesus, or as a deeper forward behind the Brazilian. His arrival would also allow Jesus to play on the right flank from time to time, easing the burden on Bukayo Saka.
As a club, Arsenal have a long history of making the most of players who operate between the lines rather than in more easily defined positions. In the era of the Premier League, the most successful of them was Dennis Bergkamp. Tuchel compared Havertz to Bergkamp and also compared him to former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.
In terms of technical skills and physical qualities, there can be no doubt about Havertz. The big question, and therefore the big risk for Arsenal, is whether they can handle the psychological pressure of playing for one of Europe's biggest clubs.
Havertz admitted that during his time at Chelsea, his £70m price tag was «written on my forehead». He said that the first six months of his stay at the club after his move in 2020 was the most difficult time of his career. It arrived during the pandemic, which didn't help, but the volatility has been annoying ever since.
Kai Havertz was a disappointing figure at Chelsea. Credit: AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth
In an interview with DAZN earlier this year, he said: “Consistency has always been important in my career. I missed it sometimes.» The German's managers at Chelsea would no doubt agree.
Frankly, Havertz has not been helped by the chaos at his current club in recent months. It was a time of different managers, lineup changes, newcomers and disastrous results at Stamford Bridge. Even the most talented young strikers would not be able to thrive in such an environment.
In the spring, Havertz used the example of Jorginho to illustrate how turbulent this season at Chelsea has been. “I played with Jorginho for two and a half years, he changed around me, I liked being with him, and then…” Havertz told The Guardian. «And then he calls me one night and says, 'I'm gone.' I'm like, «What the? How is this possible? That's how quickly things change.”
Jorginho is, of course, now an Arsenal player. It would be extremely naive to think that the midfielder was not involved in recent conversations.
None of this should be an excuse for Havertz, who has undeniably performed poorly throughout much of his Chelsea career (other than winning the 2021 Champions League final). But the riots at Stamford Bridge provide useful context. Obviously, Arsenal believe that in a more stable team, in a less chaotic club, he will be able to realize his enormous potential.
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