Arsenal summer signing Kai Havertz has come in for heavy criticism since his arrival, and did himself no favours against Liverpool on Sunday.
The German was handed a rare start as a striker, having spent most of the season in midfield, but despite impressing in some aspects of his play, he missed several crucial chances and Arsenal ultimately fell to defeat.
His midfield performances have been questionable, as he has struggled to progress the ball with the same quality or volume as Granit Xhaka or Declan Rice, and given his heavy £65m transfer fee, the signing has been criticised by fans who were sceptical at the time of his arrival given his poor form for Chelsea.
Emile Smith Rowe has hardly been given a chance since returning from a long-term injury, and Micah Richards has now claimed that he could have delivered in Havertz’s midfield role.
Micah Richards questions Arsenal signing of Kai Havertz
Speaking on The Rest Is Football Podcast, Richards claimed that Arsenal wasted their money on Havertz given that they already had Smith Rowe in midfield.
“What I don’t understand about Arsenal is that Havertz is a very good player and I’m one of the people who think he can fit into a system and he can look very well. His touch is good, I think the way he opens up and wants to pass, I think he slows it down at times,” he claimed.
“But we all could see, and we were saying it last season, that Arsenal needed a striker. You have £60 million for a player who no disrespect, if I’m looking at Smith Rowe, I know he has had his injuries, but he can do the job that Havertz can do, in my opinion.
Many fans are disappointed with both Havertz’s performance levels and the lack of opportunities given to Smith Rowe, and given the price paid for him, a different target would have been a much better purchase.
Arsenal should have signed a striker instead of Kai Havertz
Arsenal are now desperate for a goalscorer amid recent struggles upfront, but the signing of Havertz has meant that financially, a striker would be a difficult addition in the January window.
Richards has claimed that the money spent on Havertz should have gone on a proper centre-forward in the summer.
“That £60 million has to be invested in a forward player, we know what Jesus can do in a forward role. We know Nketiah towards the end of last season played very well as well, but you are thinking you are up against Liverpool and Man City, who have got firepower,” he added.
“A striker had to be the priority for me and now you are seeing in these little moments, the game yesterday it was so evident, when you just need someone to have a cool head in front of goal at this moment in time Arsenal have not got that.”
Havertz is currently not offering more than other options in the Arsenal midfield, and is not scoring enough to be considered a good option upfront, and with his arrival hamstringing Arsenal in the transfer market now, there are rightfully serious questions about why he was recruited over a top goalscorer for the same price in the summer.
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