Kai Havertz is one of Chelsea's disappointing signings, and while The Blues are still figuring out how to offload this "flop," Arsenal unexpectedly swooped in with a £65 million deal. The question arises as to why the Gunners are willing to spend such a hefty amount on Havertz.
Havertz doesn't fit well with Arsenal. When the news of Arsenal reaching an agreement to sign Havertz spread, many fans were puzzled. They didn't understand why the Gunners would consider signing a player who only scored 19 goals in 91 appearances in the Premier League. However, some cautious fans believe that Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta may have seen something in Havertz that others didn't. However, the root of the problem is that Arsenal doesn't actually need Havertz.
In the 2022/23 Premier League season, Arsenal fell short of winning the title to Manchester City not because they lacked attacking firepower. In fact, the Gunners scored 88 goals, only six fewer than the champions. The fatal flaw for Arsenal lies in their defense, which was exploited extensively in the latter stages of the season due to the injury of key center-back William Saliba. His absence, combined with fatigue from the pursuit of Manchester City, resulted in disappointing losses and draws for Arsenal.
Therefore, it would be more reasonable for Arsenal to invest in a new center-back and full-back in the summer of 2023. The Gunners could also consider bringing in a backup option for Bukayo Saka, the young English star who struggled towards the end of the season due to excessive workload. Additionally, a replacement for Granit Xhaka and a world-class defensive midfielder, if acquired by Arsenal, would be fantastic additions.
Declan Rice is the player Arsenal is pursuing, and this potential deal is expected to cost the Gunners a significant amount of money. However, Arsenal would have to spend even more for Havertz, who is almost incomparable to any other attacking options they had last season. Even Emile Smith-Rowe, a highly-rated young player, couldn't break into Arsenal's starting lineup in the 2022/23 season. So, is Havertz better than a 22-year-old midfielder?
Six months ago, Arsenal was outmaneuvered by Chelsea in the Mykhailo Mudryk deal, which forced them to sign Leandro Trossard as a cheaper alternative. The Belgian star immediately made an impact with one goal and 10 assists for the Gunners in the Premier League, far surpassing Havertz's tally of only 7 goals and 1 assist for Chelsea. Havertz's finishing skills are also extremely poor. According to statistics, his shot conversion rate in the 2022/23 season was 9.86%, while his conversion rate for clear-cut chances was only 22% - an embarrassingly low figure compared to the likes of Bukayo Saka (70%), Gabriel Martinelli (62.5%), or Martin Odegaard (55.6%).
What is Arsenal calculating with the Havertz deal? Perhaps the first reason Arsenal is willing to take a gamble on Havertz is simply because he is relatively young. At 24 years old, he has had some bright moments at Chelsea in crucial times, such as scoring in the Champions League final and FIFA Club World Cup. Another reason for Arsenal choosing Havertz is his versatility when fitting into the team.
It is easy to assert that with Arsenal's attacking display from the previous season, Havertz would not be guaranteed a starting spot at the Emirates. He cannot be a better choice than Gabriel Jesus as a center forward, nor better than Martinelli on the left wing, Saka on the right wing, or Odegaard as an attacking midfielder. However, if looked at from a broader perspective, Havertz can cover all these positions due to his versatility. In other words, the German international can become a useful backup option.
Perhaps Arsenal is calculating that they only need one Havertz to provide reassurance for all the other positions in the attacking lineup. If divided among different positions, this approach would be cost-effective. In theory, it may seem correct, but the reality of how it operates is a completely different story.
To be fair, Havertz's versatility, being able to play in various positions, has become his weakness. He is not truly specialized or exceptional in any specific role, leading to questions about whether Havertz is a forward or a midfielder, good at scoring goals or creating chances. Up until now, this question remains unanswered, and Arsenal might be trying to help Chelsea find the answer.
Havertz would become a high-profile backup at Arsenal, a bold idea, and who knows, the 24-year-old player might be "unlocked" by the Gunners.
