Zinchenko praises ‘amazing qualities’ that £280k-a-week ace brings to Arsenal

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Oleksandr Zinchenko has heaped praise on Arsenal teammate Kai Havertz.

Things have not been entirely plain sailing for Kai Havertz since his £65 million arrival at Arsenal in the recent summer transfer window. However, Oleksandr Zinchenko has backed the former Chelsea man to be a star for the Gunners.

Last time out in the Premier League, Havertz bagged his first Arsenal goal with a well-taken penalty against Bournemouth. Mikel Arteta will be hoping that this strike will have given the 24-year-old a much-needed confidence boost.

If Havertz can rediscover his best form, then the £280,000-a-week ace can become an incredibly effective figure in this Arsenal side. He has the physicality and attacking instincts to be a real threat in the final third, and his versatility allows Arteta to deploy him in a variety of roles.

Zinchenko understands the potential on offer here. He also believes that the penalty will have helped him settle at the club. Discussing Havertz with the official Arsenal website, the 55-cap Ukraine international said, “on and off the pitch we try to be together. It was an amazing gesture [to let Havertz take the penalty] from Martin [Odegaard] and Bukayo [Saka] because they are two of our penalty takers and it was so good for Kai. He’s such an important player for us with amazing qualities.”

Havertz has chance to shine against Manchester City

Arsenal face a huge test on Sunday afternoon, as they will take on reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have an awful recent record against Pep Guardiola’s side. A win against them would represent a major milestone for Arteta’s squad.

There could be no better occasion for Havertz to truly blossom as an Arsenal player. The 39-cap Germany international has stepped up in big matches before, not least when he scored the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City, whilst still a Chelsea player. 

Given the investment they have made into Havertz, Arsenal need him to be a successful signing for the club. He would go a long way towards justifying his transfer fee with a match-winning display against City on Sunday.