Kai Havertz now reveals how Mikel Arteta convinced him to join Arsenal

Add as preferred source on Google

Kai Havertz has now opened up about how manager Mikel Arteta was able to lure him to Arsenal.

Arsenal paid £65 million to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea in the recent summer transfer window.

Mikel Arteta clearly had big plans for the 24-year-old. Havertz had been used primarily as a striker in his days at Stamford Bridge. However, he has been regularly deployed as a midfielder in his time at the Emirates Stadium so far, as he was clearly signed with the intention of taking up Granit Xhaka’s left-eight spot in the team, following the Swiss ace’s departure. 

It has been a challenging start to life for Havertz at the north London club. He has looked short on confidence and has struggled to make an impact in the final third. With 19 appearances for the Gunners now under his belt, across all competitions, the German has managed to contribute just one goal and one assist.

Havertz has come in for plenty of criticism. However, Arteta has stood by the player and publicly defended him, even naming him as one of the club’s best performers in recent weeks. That being said, the Spanish coach will still have been hoping for more from the former Chelsea man, especially having worked hard to bring him to the club in the first place.

Havertz has now revealed the role that Arteta played in convincing him to join Arsenal. As quoted by the club’s official website, the 41-cap Germany international said, “from the first minute that I spoke to Mikel about joining Arsenal, I had this feeling that he respects all of us very much, so that was also a big part of me joining the club. I just felt the togetherness of the club from the players and especially within the fans and the whole club. At the training ground it’s like a big family.”

Mikel Arteta has made his mark at Arsenal

Arteta has spoken regularly about the importance of fostering a sense of unity within a football club. He will therefore be heartened to hear Havertz’s words. It also bodes well for the player’s prospects of finding his feet and best form at Arsenal, as he feels welcome and wanted at the club. 

Arteta deserves great credit for nurturing and developing such a positive environment at the Emirates Stadium. When he was appointed in December 2019, the club was divided and in disarray. There were troublesome characters in the squad, despair within the fanbase, and a muted atmosphere in the ground on match days. 

It has been a slow process getting to this point, but the former club captain has revolutionised and re-energised the club from his position in the dugout, making Arsenal genuine Premier League title contenders once again and building a squad that players such as Havertz want to be a part of.