Arsenal have found themselves another Willian but Mikel Arteta has the chance to show he has learnt from his previous mistakes. It is still only early days for Kai Havertz at the Emirates but the German has got to go a long way to winning over his new supporters.
Havertz vows to give everything for Arsenal
Arsenal have built a reputation for signing players from Chelsea in recent years. Petr Cech swapped west London for north London in 2015, while David Luiz made the move four years later.
Willian’s contract at Chelsea came to an end in 2020 and Arsenal were swift to pick him up on a free transfer. The Brazilian was unable to play in front of his new fans due to matches being behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He got off to the perfect start when he notched three assists on his debut away to Fulham. But he would only register a further two assists in the remainder of the Premier League campaign, while his only goal for the Gunners came in what turned out to be his final appearance in May 2021.
Arsenal mutually agreed to cancel the final two years of Willian’s contract that summer to end a miserable spell for the winger. He was the most recent player Arsenal had signed from Chelsea up until the arrival of Havertz in June.
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It was a surprise to most people that Arsenal were linked with Havertz, let alone splashing out up to £65million on his signature. He had struggled at Chelsea and was often the fall guy despite playing in a position he clearly didn’t suit.
He has only made three league appearances, four including the Community Shield, but the early signs are not good. Havertz looks to be a spare part in a team that was well-oiled for the majority of last season.
Arteta seems to have the utmost faith in Havertz and clearly saw something in him to make him his first signing of the summer. However, the time has already come for a change of approach before it gets too late.
Arteta persisted with Willian in his early months as an Arsenal player which did him no favours. His performances became less and less effective, which ultimately turned the fans against him.
There was no way back for the Brazilian. On reflection, Arteta may regret not taking him out of the starting XI for a few matches earlier than he eventually did.
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Arsenal’s new kit for 2023/2024 is a stylish twist on a classic as it reinvents that mid-1990s vibe. A truly modern-looking shirt with a homage to the past, the Nike kit also includes a nod to the club’s iconic Invincible’s side in the finer details while catching the eye with the lightning bolt motif
Not every player can adapt to a new club and style of football as quickly as others. Some need time to watch on from the sidelines and make cameo performances here and there.
Arteta must act now to stop the same happening with Havertz. Some Arsenal fans already had a negative outlook on the 24-year-old due to his time at Chelsea.
It got him off on the wrong foot and his early performances have done nothing to change the opinion of those naysayers. Havertz is a far bigger investment than Willian was and his manager has to make it work.
But Arteta needs to take him out of the firing line for the time being. He cannot be the scapegoat for Arsenal’s results so early into his time at the club.
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