Havertz signing will put pressure on two Arsenal stars to up their game or be sold

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You improve the squad on the previous season by signing better players than you currently have. Football is easy (note: I do also understand you can improve players currently in the squad as well).

I do not understand the “another Chelsea reject” argument when it comes to Kai Havertz.There is a huge difference between buying 30-something players (William Gallas, Petr Cech, David Luiz, Willian) and signing a 24-year-old regular German international about to enter his peak.

Havertz is an improvement on what we have. That is no debate.

We went into last season with Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira as our 2 main back up attacking options. Havertz is better than both.

Smith Rowe is a fabulous player, but his injury issues are a huge concern.

He admits himself that he has been playing with the same groin injury since he was 18-years-old. He turns 23 in a month…

The Englishman has played mainly on the wing for Arsenal during his senior career. There has always been a feeling his long-term future could end up playing inside, as an attacking 8 options. In recent weeks, there has been talk about Smith Rowe working hard in training to improve in this position.

Whereas Smith Rowe is a work in progress as an attacking 8, Havertz is off the shelf ready.

It is in that position that Havertz became one of the hottest prospects in Europe whilst at Bayern Leverkuson.

38 goals in 2 seasons from midfield saw Chelsea spend over £70million securing him back in 2020.

With the acquisition of Leandro Trossard, the left hand side is now locked down with the Belgium and Gabriel Martinelli. That has left us looking to buy some cover and competition on the right hand side for Bukayo Saka.

Havertz has also spent some of his career playing in Smith Rowe’s natural position – out wide. Naturally left footed, he is abetter “like for like” option to replace Saka when required with Arteta needing to change the attacking structure of the team.

Havertz is a better midfielder than Smith Rowe, a better winger than Smith Rowe, and a better forward/false 9. He also does not come with Smith Rowe’s injury issues.

Another player also under threat is Fabio Vieira.

A big money signing last summer, Vieira has not settled in the Premier League.

Last season he struggled for game time as Martin Odegaard maintained his form and fitness. There was just not much opportunity for Vieira to show us what he could do.

When Vieira did make it on the pitch, he looked shot of confidence and not up to it physically. I still think there is a player there and he clearly has great technique. But he needs to make big improvements in the gym and on the training pitch this summer.

Let me now ask you a question: If Odergaard picked up an injury, who would you rather replace him – Havertz or Vieira?

Now maybe you are realising why he is a good signing.

Havertz is levels above Smith Rowe and Vieira. And it is not even like he is that much older:

Havertz is just a year older than both Vieira and Smith Rowe. He is not the washed up old man that Willian, Cech and Luiz was.

It might not happen this summer, but I would be very surpised if we continue with Havertz, Vieira and Smith Rowe in the squad for too long. You would expect on of the two later players to be sold on.

Selling Smith Rowe for £40million would mean it has cost us a net £25million to upgrade to Havertz. That is fantastic business.

We began this blog by talking about how to improve the squad year on year:

Beginning of 2022/23: Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard, Vieira, Smith Rowe

Beginning of 2023/24: Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard, Havertz, Trossard

How about that for an upgrade?

Keenos

Is Kai Havertz just another Chelsea reject?

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Quick answer: No.

But read on if you want to find out more (or have nothing better to do this fine Sunday morning).

I keep seeing Arsenal fans dismiss the signing of Kai Havertz as us “not learning our lesson and signing another Chelsea reject”. This is simply not true.

Chelsea do not really want to sell Havertz (or Mason Mount), but they need to try and balance their books following what they have spent in the last 12 months.

With very few offers (if any?) coming in for fringe players, they are now being forced to sell some first team starters.

On Wednesday, the news firstly broke that Matteo Kovacic was off to Manchester City. Later in the day the Havertz news was broken. And then in the evening Mount to Manchester United speculation intensified.

Last season, no Chelsea player played more games than Kai Havertz.

Of the 50 games Chelsea played, Havertz played a part in 47 of them, starting 38. Only goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga played more minuted.

Arsenal have taken advantage of Chelsea’s financial predicament and signed one of their most important players.

Likewise, Manchester City have also taken advantage by securing Kovacic (5th most minutes played of all Chelsea outfield players).

Kovacic and Havertz are not players Chelsea wanted to sell. They are players that the situation meant they had to sell.

The issue with David Luiz, William Gallas, Willian and Petr Cech was not that they joined from Chelsea, but that they were all past their best when they signed.

Petr Cech: 33-years old
David Luiz: 32
Willian: 32
Gallas: 29

These were all players who had had their best days. Not a 24-year-old regular German international.

Havertz has not been left out of a German national team squad (bar injury or illness) since 2020.

Since making his international debut in 2018 he has:

  • Played 38 games
  • Been left on the bench 8 times
  • Missed 11 games due to illness or injury
  • Not been selected when fit on 1 occassion

So of the 47 games he was available for, he has played a part in 80% of them. He is certainly no re

A regular for club and country, he is certainly no reject.

The issue with Gallas, et al, is they were ageing former stars that Chelsea basically dumped on us as they had a clear out. We were lumbered with them.

Mikael Silvestre and Stephan Lichtsteiner were also in the same category (bar the Chelsea bit).

Havertz is clearly at a very different stage of his career in comparison to Silvestre, Lichsteiner, Luiz, Cech and Willian.

And let’s not pretend that Chelsea only ever let go of players that are coming to the end of their career.

This is the club who once had Mohamed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne on their books. Arguably the best two players in the Premier League over the last 5 or 6 years.

In 2013 they will deem a 26-year-old Juan Mata surplus to requirements. He would go on to play 285 times for Manchester United, nearly 200 of which were in the Premier League.

A year later, they would sell Romelu Lukaku to Everton.

Lukaku would score 177 goals in 324 gamesfor Everton, Manchester United and Inter Milan before he returned to Chelsea for £97.5million nearly a decade after he originally joined the club.

Havertz does not need to reach the level of de Bruyne or Salah to be a success.

If Havertz has the impact at Arsenal that Lukaku did at Everton, Inter and Man U, or that Mata did Man U, he will be a brilliant signing.

Chelsea did not want to sell Havertz but Arsenal have forced the issue. When was the last time we took a rivals top player?

The Arsenal are back…

Keenos

Can Arsenal afford to have Lavia without Partey?

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For a long time, I have bashed the drum about looking to bring someone in who can become the long term-replacement to Thomas Partey.

Partey is one of the best in the world in that defensive midfield position. Up there with Rodri in the Premier League in their ability to do 2 man’s work in that position.

But Prtey he has his injury concerns.

In the 3 years since joining The Arsenal, he has averaged just 33 games a season across all competition. This year he played the most (40 appearances), but had just 29 starts.

As the season reached it’s conclusion, it was clear that Partey had run out of steam, and his performances dropped off a cliff dramatically.

On his day, Partey is world class. But as we move forward as a club to compete on 4 fronts, we need someone who can carry the load.

We will probably play around 60 games next year. Based on recent history, Partey will only be able to play half of those at the highest level. And that is why we are in the market for a younger player with similar attributes.

The two names that have been linked with are Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

Both men have similar attributes to Partey, but playing at their best are not at his level. Although they do have the potential to reach it.

For all intents and purposes, Caicedo or Lavia would have become Partey’s understudy.

You play Partey in those biggest games. Manchester City, Newcastle United, in the Champions League. Then for the smaller games – Luton Town, Tottenham, the League Cup, you rotate in his understudy.

You do this for a year, and then next year the positions potentially switch with the apprentice becoming the master.

Come 2025, Partey’s contract will expire and his understudy would then be more than ready to step up and take on the role full-time.

The future planning would mean that we could afford to lose Partey on a free as his replacement would already be in place. We would then not be looking to buy to replace Partey as a regular starter, but buy to replace Partey as a back-up dancer.

Caicedo looks like he is off to Chelsea, which leaves us with Lavia.

Our scouting report on the 3 ranked Partey as number 1, Caicedo 2 and Lavia 3. This was not a surprise when you consider Partey’s experience, and that Caicedo is 2 years older than Lavia.

Of the 3, Lavia is certainly the rawest. Which brings me to the question: Can Arsenal afford to let Partey go if they sign Lavia?

I think it will be a big risk to sell Partey and buy Lavia. The drop in experience will be huge. Although we do also have Jorginho.

We would be (in theory) going from Partey as first choice and Lavia his understudy, to Lavia being first choice and Jorginho as an experienced back up. It just feels a year too early for Lavia to be first choice at a top club.

It should also be remembered that when Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas burst on the scen as teenagers, they were part of a midfield 2 and guided by more experienced players (Emmanuel Petit and Gilberto Silva). Lavia will often be on his own in the middle of the park.

Off the field, I get why Arsenal have said to Partey that if he can find a suitor, they would be willing to let him go.

It is illogical for one of Arsenal’s highest earners (Partey on £200k a week) to basically be a part-time player and only be available for 50% of the game. Do the financial reasons to sell Partey outweigh the experience reasons to keep him?

Partey is 30 years old, has a questionable injury history and 2-years left on his contract. If a Saudi team came in with an offer (reported to be around £45million), then it would be a great deal for Arsenal.

With Declan Rice and Kai Havertz potentially incoming, the only way we can probably afford Lavia is by selling Partey.

Those two transfers will see us spend close to £160m. add in Jurrien Timber and it will be £200m spent. Any further transfers will only happen with sales.

So signing Lavia this summer asunderstudy to Partey is not something we can afford. We also can not wait until next year due to a £45m-buy-back-clause that Manchester City have.

That leaves us with the option of either sticking with Partey, seeing his value decline in 12 months and needing to still buy someone. Or cash in now and recycle that income into some new, fresh, without the injury problems and on half the wages.

Experience concerns could be expelled if we recruit Rice. He would be an option at 6 alongside Jorginho.

I could see us, against big teams, go with Rice and Lavia together. And then when we want to play more attacking against smaller teams, go with Rice and Havertz. With Jorginho providing further cover.

Initially I felt that we could not sign someone as raw as Lavia to replace Partey. That a signing should be made alongside him. But as I write this my mind has switched.

We could afford to sell Partey and sign Lavia.

Do not expect Partey to depart soon. He will be unable to move to a club abroad until early-mid July due to personal reasons.

Keenos