Arsenal spent £60m on a midfielder but got a striker in return. Was there a mistake? The answer is no. Havertz is transforming from a midfielder to a centre forward.
Havertz's surprising value
In the 62nd minute at Brighton's Amex Stadium in the early morning of April 7 (Hanoi time), Havertz scored from close range after a cross from Jorginho. The moment the German star doubled Arsenal's lead, the away team's fans continuously praised the scorer.
" 60 million pounds wasted, Kai Havertz scores again ", Arsenal fans sang loudly in a corner of the Amex stadium. That is also the message for those who used to mock Havertz. The German midfielder is really turning all predictions upside down.
Arsenal were right to sign Havertz for £60m. Coach Mikel Arteta's faith in the former Chelsea star has been rewarded.
Coach Arteta's faith in Havertz was rewarded.
At the start of the season, Havertz looked lost, desperate and almost worthless. Those things have disappeared these days, revealing the truest image of the £60 million signing. Havertz has become one of the most in-form strikers since the start of 2024.
In Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Brighton in the 32nd round of the Premier League, Havertz played prominently in the center forward position. In the last 7 matches, the 24-year-old player has made a mark on 8 goals, including 5 goals and 3 assists. A strong message has been sent by Havertz. He deserves to be an expensive contract.
This time last season, Arsenal faltered in the Premier League title race. A year later, the Londoners have transformed. The best that Man City and Liverpool can do, Arsenal can do.
The Gunners are the team that has lost the least. All thanks to the excellent central defenders Wiliam Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. Arsenal also has a defensive midfielder of the same class as Man City's Rodri, that is Declan Rice. The sweeper in the middle of the field, the best blocking midfielder in the Premier League.
Arsenal also have the creative Martin Odegaard up front, who is always ready to deliver passes with a very high IQ, capable of collapsing even the most solid defence.
But at Brighton's Amex Stadium, Havertz has really made the biggest difference for Arsenal compared to last year. The German midfielder's goals have helped the "Gunners" fly high.
" He has a huge impact on the team ," Arsenal manager Arteta said of Havertz. " The number of goals he has scored for Arsenal is really high. The understanding between him and the players around him is also impressive ."
A turning point
Havertz’s breakthrough came in February when Arteta pushed the German forward to play as a full-back. Initially, this was to fill the void left by the injury of Gabriel Jesus, but it was also the time when the former Chelsea star showed all his best qualities.
Talking about Havertz is talking about a flexible player, who plays quite freely in Arsenal's tactical scheme. When needed, the German midfielder can drop deep to participate in defense as well as support building the play. Also because of moving quite widely on the field, Havertz becomes like a "ghost", someone who appears and disappears, making the opposing players not know how to keep up.
Havertz played well, Arsenal also had important victories to take the number one position on the Premier League rankings.
At the Amex, Havertz ran non-stop. His intelligent off-the-ball movement also helped the German midfielder occupy space well. To be more precise, Havertz knew how to choose the right position to create situations that threatened the opponent's goal.
Brighton's defence may not be as solid as it once was, but it's still tough to break down. However, Havertz has given Lewis Dunk and his team a nightmare. They have to work constantly to keep up with a striker (Havertz - PV) moving all over the pitch.
Havertz is now Arsenal's untouchable centre-forward. Even with Jesus' return, the Brazilian striker has been unable to overtake his teammate. To date, Havertz has scored 9 goals and provided 5 assists in the Premier League. His achievements are far superior to those of the German player when he played for Chelsea.
The £60m signing is enjoying his new role at Arsenal, which has also saved the club a lot of money in the transfer market. Arsenal were urged to sign a striker in January, with Brentford's Ivan Toney the top target. The Gunners ultimately said no to the winter transfer window.
It was a gamble. But not taking risks is not Arteta’s style. The decision to sign Havertz, who had a very disappointing final year at Chelsea, said it all.
At the end of the day, Havertz has proven that he is still very much alive. His goals have helped Arsenal soar and could be the key to the club's push for the Premier League title.
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