Kai Havertz is hoping to make his debut for Arsenal in the midweek pre-season friendly against FC Nurnberg, after joining training on Saturday.
The Evening Standard report that Kai Havertz is hoping to make his unofficial first appearance for Arsenal this week, as the Gunners take on FC Nurnberg in a friendly in Germany.
Havertz only returned to training on Saturday, following an extended holiday due to his time on international duty.
Arsenal’s other June internationals did the same, meaning none of them were involved in last week’s friendly against Watford.
According to the Standard, Havertz and the other internationals are training this week ahead of a final decision on whether they can play on Thursday.
The priority remains to get everyone ready for the tour of the USA, which they’ll leave for on Sunday.
Arsenal fans will be excited to see Havertz in action, particularly with all the speculation around which position he’ll be occupying.
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.
The early signs suggest the midfield is the most likely option for Havertz in 2023/24. 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.”
Havertz joined from Chelsea on a long-term deal in late June, signing for a fee in the region of £65m. The 24-year-old put pen to paper on a contract lasting until 2028.
Arsenal’s Pre-Season Fixtures and Results
- Saturday, July 8th – Arsenal 1-1 Watford (Behind closed doors)
- Thursday, July 13th, 18:00 – FC Nurnberg vs Arsenal
- Thursday, July 20th, 01:30 – MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal
- Saturday, July 22nd, 22:00 – Arsenal vs Manchester United
- Thursday, July 27th, 03:30 – Arsenal vs Barcelona
- Wednesday, August 2nd, 18:00 – Arsenal vs Monaco
- Sunday, August 6th, 16:00 – Arsenal vs Manchester City
Times in BST