'Clear' to Arsenal's Kai Havertz that he's 'measured by goals'

Kai Havertz had a good first year at Arsenal, and while he enjoys the link-up side of his game, he knows that, ultimately, he will be judged on the goals he scores.

Arsenal's Kai Havertz had a slow start to life in north London, but he found his mojo in the second half of the Premier League season. The goals and assists started flowing as he was played as a No. 9 by Mikel Arteta to devastating effect.

While fans were skeptical of Havertz's transfer from Chelsea last summer, his efforts in Arsenal's title charge won over every fan on the planet.

It is no secret that Arteta wants a new striker as Havertz and Gabriel Jesus aren't the answer long-term. Kai revealed that he sees himself as a No. 9 and stated that despite playing well during games, he will be measured by the number of goals he scores.

"I clearly see myself as a number nine in the national team – and that’s what I am now at Arsenal," Havertz said via Welt am Sonntag (via TZ). "Even Erling Haaland or Harry Kane, who you immediately think of, don’t just stand in the box and wait for the finish. The players who are waiting there no longer exist in modern football. I am someone who enjoys letting go and making deep runs. But it is also clear to me that I will be measured by goals."

After a slow start, Havertz would explode in the back end of Arsenal's season and finished with 14 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Kai was the spearhead of the Gunners' attack and even kept Jesus on the bench.

As such, the need for a clear out-and-out forward is seen as a priority for Arsenal this summer, so too is a midfielder to partner Declan Rice.

But in Havertz, Arteta has a player who has adapted well to his style. While he likes coming deep to receive the ball and then providing that crucial link-up that his manager craves, he still needs to score goals.

And that will always be a true marker of how a player, particularly one like Havertz, is perceived.

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