Arsenal star Kai Havertz has enjoyed an incredible turnaround in fortunes over the last year at the club, after a difficult start.
Havertz endured heavy criticism after his move from Chelsea last year, and initially struggled to make an impact in a midfield role.
However, it has been a different story since he moved up front, and the German has continued the excellent goalscoring form he displayed in the second half of last season.
Even beyond his goals, Havertz is becoming a crucial player for Mikel Arteta, with his overall displays now fundamental for Arsenal in both attack and defence, and he is now gaining wider recognition.
Havertz now leads the Arsenal squad in one key stat, and this is a testament to his ability and character as he leads the line for The Gunners.
Kai Havertz leads Arsenal squad in distance-covered stat
BBC Sport have now revealed that Havertz leads Arsenal for total distance covered this season, with the German covering 77km of ground in seven Premier League matches this season.
Remarkably, only two clubs’ highest-ranking players in this metric have recorded a higher total than Havertz, with Southampton’s Flynn Downes and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes the only club-leaders with higher totals than him in the Premier League.
Most of the players who lead their clubs for distance covered are midfielders and wingers, with Havertz the highest-ranked striker, and Chris Wood the only other centre-forward on the list, highlighting the exceptional selfless role the Arsenal star plays for his team.
Kai Havertz’s selfless Arsenal role
Despite playing upfront, Havertz often drops into deeper positions in midfield, and he performs a unique role where he both presses the opposition defence, whilst also tracking their runners when out of possession.
It is a difficult role, and a selfless one which ultimately benefits the team. Havertz was criticised for failing to complete a pass in Arsenal’s draw at Manchester City with 10 men, but the 25-year-old was crucial because of the remarkable work-rate he showed in covering ground across the whole pitch.
Havertz is becoming undroppable for Arteta, and his combination of work-rate and goalscoring instincts are helping him develop into a top-class striker.
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