Despite being the top earner for the Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has been informed that Kai Havertz shouldn’t start when the Premier League resumes.
Havertz, who struggled to make an impact at Chelsea, moved to the Emirates Stadium at the end of June in a £65 million transfer. Even though he didn’t perform well at Stamford Bridge, the Gunners decided to pay him a huge salary.
His pay puts him above Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard and star academy product Bukayo Saka on the organization’s pay scale. Despite this, it seems like Havertz will have to fight to make Arsenal’s starting lineup.
Boss Arteta deployed a 4-3-3 system last term as the Gunners battled for the title, with Odegaard, Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in the attacking positions. A space could open up in midfield if Thomas Partey departs the club.
But former Premier League star Darren Bent believes that the Gunners should keep hold of the Ghanian international. He also urged Arteta to bench Havertz, insisting there were better options in the squad.
According to his tweet, “I’d keep Thomas Partey, Partey Rice Odegaard that’s a serious midfield combination, give Rice more of a licence to go forward.” Where is Havertz playing then? a Gunners supporter asked, to which Bent replied, “He don’t.”
Arteta does not appear likely to take Bent’s advice on board though, handing him his debut in the 1-1 draw against Nurnberg. And the Spaniard has previously spoken of his delight at signing the German.
“Kai is a player of top quality. He has great versatility and is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield and variety to our play,” the Gunners boss said.
“We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”
Havertz also seems to be confident that he will be handed a significant part in Arteta’s team. He did, however, seem to acknowledge that he will be joining a group of talented players.
Personally, I find it to be quite exciting. I’m thrilled to be a part of this fantastic group. This club has such a rich history, and I hope we can accomplish a lot. I’m simply excited to meet all the players and staff, and it will definitely be exciting,” he added.
“I believe that one of the reasons why playing against Arsenal is so difficult is the team’s family spirit on the pitch. Of course, there are a lot of talented players, and there is a lot of space for success.
