Arsenal fans finally realise their third most expensive signing has ruined them

Arsenal's recruitment has been impressive over the years but one deal is starting to stick out like a sore thumb for Mikel Arteta. The Gunners' long need for a new prolific striker hasn't been rectified since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's departure in 2022.

There are those who defend the club's transfer strategy that has seen other areas strengthened with players who have the versatility to fill in up front. But with RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko reportedly the subject of concrete talks between the two clubs, why on earth has it taken so long for this type of player to be signed.

Sesko will undoubtedly take the striker's berth at the Emirates which casts doubts over one player's future in Arteta's team. It now looks a rash decision to have splashed the cash on him two summers ago.

Kai Havertz was not the right signing for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta explained the £65m deal for Kai Havertz in the summer of 2023 by calling him a player of "top quality". The Spaniard suggested his versatility and intelligence would "bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield".

Havertz has spent 47 of his 89 appearances for the Gunners as a centre-forward. Let's keep in mind how Arteta had pointed out his versatility would help bolster his midfield at the Emirates.

The 25-year-old has fared well at the Emirates and unfortunately suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in February. He works hard for the team and comes up with some important goals such as his late winner against Brentford.

But it looks a massive transfer blunder to not only have made the German the club's third most expensive signing in history, but the fact that it was priortised over a new much-needed POTENT number nine.

Sesko reportedly opted to stay at Leipzig over joining last summer because he didn't want to be second choice behind Havertz, per Metro. The fact so much faith was put in the former Chelsea attacker is worrying and who knows what his future holds with the Slovenian potentially arriving.

Fans label Havertz "most pointless signing"

Arsenal fans are equally as puzzled by Havertz's signing now that Sesko appears to be on the way. He'll serve as a strong utility player but there's little chance he's displacing the Slovenia international or any of Arteta's midfield.

One fan wrote on X: "Havertz was the most pointless signing in the clubs history".

While another fan pointed out how much damage it's done:

"Not just pointless, it completely ruined our momentum and set us back another 3 years. We gave Chelsea 65m for their worst player, made him our highest paid player, then tried to shoehorn him in our midfield when every touch he takes turns into a duel he always loses."

Havertz is the club's third most expensive signing in history, behind Nicolas Pepe (£72m) and Declan Rice (£100m). We all know how things panned out for Pepe and Arteta and the recruitment team will be desperate for a similar situation not to ensue.

Whenever the going gets tough for the Germany international he won't be able to escape the media hailstorm that comes with being pricey. That is always the case when you are the club's highest earner at £280,000 per week (per Capology) and especially if you're not a starter.

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