Mikel Arteta hints at which position Kai Havertz will play for Arsenal

Arsenal’s interest in Kai Havertz was initially labelled ‘curious’ by this writer, but he, along with the vast majority of Gooners, have seemingly come around to the idea of the German donning red and white.

The Gunners confirmed Havertz’s £65m arrival on Wednesday evening, with the former Bayer Leverkusen star becoming the club’s first signing of a busy summer.

Arsenal also agreed a deal with West Ham for the services of Declan Rice, while Jurrien Timber is also closing in on a move. Edu Gaspar is wheelin’ and dealin’, baby!

Mikel Arteta hints at which position Kai Havertz will play for Arsenal

While the fee is hefty, many, as I’ve said, are optimistic about what Havertz can provide in north London. The German’s spell at Chelsea was indifferent despite scoring the winner in a Champions League final, but there were mitigating factors to his woes. Misused and part of a woefully unbalanced squad during his final season at Stamford Bridge, Havertz certainly wasn’t given the best chance to thrive.

The 24-year-old broke onto the Bundesliga scene as a space-invading #10 akin to Thomas Muller. His movement, athleticism, and finishing were once revered and now it’s the task of Mikel Arteta to return Havertz to past glories. Rarely did we see this iteration of the 24-year-old manifest in west London.

Supporters have speculated over which position Havertz could play in Arteta’s system, and the manager hinted at his positional outlook for the languid raumdeuter upon the confirmation of the German’s arrival.

“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,” Arteta told arsenal.com.

Midfield I hear you say, Mikel. Interesting.

Havertz’s struggles as a centre-forward/false nine at Chelsea convinced many that this move would lack value if Arteta’s idea was to deploy him in rotation with Gabriel Jesus. However, the manager’s noting of the player’s potential in midfield will undoubtedly excite supporters. The 24-year-old undoubtedly has the attributes to succeed in Granit Xhaka’s left-sided #8 role given his capacity to receive between the lines, shrewd movement, and impressive interplay.

Already it seems as if Arteta will give Havertz the best opportunity to succeed at the Emirates, and this is a move, given the significance of the Rice deal, that could go under the radar.