Kai Havertz is a player I have always liked.
I have followed his career since his breakthrough season in 2018 when he scored 17 league goals for Bayer Leverkusen from midfield as a 19-year-old.
Havertz was top of my list in 2020 we were looking to replace Mesut Ozil, and I would be lying if I said I was not jealous that he joined Chelsea. Although I did understand that we did not have the finances to splash ~£70million on him at the time.
After 3-years in England, Havertz has not kicked on as many would have expected.
Now 24-years-old, he has yet to really show his Leverkusen form in the Premier League. Although he has a Champions League winning goal to his name.
But Havertz’s stagnation is not entirely his fault.
The German was signed under the regime of that brilliant manager Frank Lampard.
Following Lampard’s departure, he played under Thomas Tuchel, and playing under a proper manager saw him have his best spell at Chelsea scoring 14 goals in all competitions as well as THAT Champions League final winning goal.
This season he became embroiled in the chaos at Stamford Bridge. From Tuchel to Graham Potter and onto Frank Lampard (again).
Chelsea won just once during Lampard’s hilarious 2nd tenure at the club, scoring just 9 goals in 11 games. You could have put a prime Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in that Lampard time and it would not have changed the results.
Not only has Havertz had to contend with managerial change after managerial change and the tactical changes that comes with it, he has constantly found himself playing in different positions.
He has gone from playing behind a striker, to playing outwide, to playing as a false centre forward, then as an out and out forward, and everything else in between.
It was only in 2021/22 under Tuchel that he got a single run in a single position – playing upfront he scored 11 goals in 26 games.
Thierry Henry recently compared Havertz to Robin van Persie.
I would never really consider Havertz as an out and out striker. I always felt that his best position was in and behind the striker. Playing in that Lampard / Aaron Ramsey position which enables him to drift into the box and be a goal threat from deep.
At Arsenal, I would see him as a great option in the 8, replacing Granit Xhaka. Havertz would provide more attacking balance to that central-left-hand-side and would compliment Martin Odegaard.
Henry’s point about van Persie is really interesting.
“He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin back to goal the way he can hold the ball,” Henry told CBS Sports.
“Robin van Persie was very good with his left foot, the touch was always immaculate and he tried to bring people along.
“This is why out of the guys that used to be wingers or No.10 he plays as a nine because with his back to goal he can hold the ball well. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him.”
It will be interesting to see if Mikel Arteta sees Havertz as an attacking midfield option, or as something a bit different to Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus likes to run in behind, and works the channels. Havertz upfront, meanwhile, is more like van Persie (as Henry states). He will play with his back to goal and look to bring others into play.
He might not be the “proper goalscorer” some are demanding, but we do not really need a proper goalscorer.
We scored 88 league goals last season – the most in our history. Our strength is not that we have one single goalscorer, but we have goals acrossing the attacking frontline.
Signing an out and out striker might see an increase in the goals scored by a single man, but will see the goals spread out amongst the rest of the team drop as a result.
Havertz has also played over 50 games on the flanks.
With his versatility, he then gives Arteta the option of playing himself on the right, or shifting Jesus to the wing if we need to cover Saka.
What is interesting is that I think Havertz versatility is a bonus when signing him. But it is that versatility that has seen him shunted around into various positions by inept Chelsea managers.
The key is to have Havertz have a single position where he establishes himself in, and then his versatile allows him to cover other positions where required.
Personally, I would like to see him playing week in, week out where Xhaka plays. And then if Jesus or Saka are out injured, he could be shifted up top or out wide.
I feel a comparison with Emile Smith Rowe is most appropriate at this time.
Smith Rowe has played both outwide and inside throughout his career, and some feel he could also do a job down the middle as a false 9.
Havertz is only 1-year older than Smith Rowe and is the vastly superior player.
Upgrading from Smtih Rowe to Havertz would be huge. Likewise I would be happy Havertz being 1st choice and then Smith Rowe providing further back-up.
So on the occasion that Havertz replaces Jesus down the middle, Smith Rowe comes in for Havertz in the 8, and so on.
Versatility is key under Arteta. He plays a version of total football upfront. He wants players to be comfortable on the ball regardless of where on the pitch they are. And Havertz is certainly that.
£60million does feel expensive considering his struggles in the Premier League. And I do find the comparison to Dele Alli interesting (loads of goals as a teenager and then went off the boil). But I do not think Havertz has the motivation problems Alli had.
A move to a new club, a manager that cares about players individual development, and a consistency in playing time and position. Havertz could really shine at Arsenal.
Now we just need to get the deal done (writing this on Sunday 18/06 witht he plan to release it non 20/06. So who knows, the deal might progress over the next 48 hours).
Enjoy your Tuesday.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 