Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have given hints as to which position Kai Havertz will play for the club, after he completed his permanent move from Chelsea this week.
Arsenal confirmed the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea on a long-term deal on Wednesday, with the German international joining for a fee in the region of £65m. The 24-year-old signed a contract lasting until 2028.
Both the fee and the long-term nature of the contract show Arsenal have a lot of faith in Havertz to be a transformative addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Yet there’s been plenty of debate over how the new signing will actually fit into the team.
Capable of playing as a midfielder or in the front three, Havertz has split his time between various positions in his career so far.
Both Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea used Havertz as a centre-forward, as a winger, and in midfield, though he rarely played on the left wing.
So did Arsenal sign Havertz as an alternative to Gabriel Jesus? Is he going to provide a rotation option when Bukayo Saka needs a rest on the right?
Or is he coming into the team in midfield, perhaps as a replacement for the outgoing Granit Xhaka?
The signs so far suggest the latter is the most likely option. Speaking to Arsenal.com, Mikel Arteta said: “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.”
Arsenal then included Havertz as a midfielder on their squad list on the club website.
That doesn’t necessarily mean much, particularly when Bukayo Saka is also listed as a midfielder. But it does suggest that those working at Arsenal don’t expect Havertz to play purely as a centre-forward.
Before the deal was made official, German outlet Sport Bild had reported that Arteta had assured Havertz he could play in his favoured position of central attacking midfield.
We’ll only know for sure when Havertz takes to the pitch for his new club, but it certainly seems like he’s being lined up for a midfield role this season.