A swathe of reports have suggested that Arsenal could soon land rival outfit Chelsea’s Champions League-winning star Kai Havertz in the near future.
Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports reported on Twitter on Tuesday morning (courtesy of an initial claim from the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel) that the Gunners have tabled a more serious bid for the German.
It remains unclear as to whether the Blues will be inclined to sanction the exit of their No.29, though the proposed transfer has invited some fascinating discussion over Mikel Arteta’s potential plans for his next possible signing.
Could Kai Havertz be an alternative striker option for Mikel Arteta?
One consideration that should, however, arguably be quickly consigned to the wastebin of history is the notion of Havertz as an alternative centre-forward option to the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
The stats on this topic are more than revealing, with the Chelsea ace possessing a minutes-per-goal rate of 362 from the prior campaign – a figure that pales into insignificance against the contributions of the aforementioned pair:
Eddie Nketiah – 207
Gabriel Jesus – 213
Kai Havertz – 362
Perhaps, one small voice from the back of the room might be inclined to suggest, it’s merely an indication of the poor fortunes of Mauricio Pochettino’s outfit?
The 24-year-old’s non-penalty xG (compared to other forwards) is rather revealing in this instance, registering in the 52nd percentile – a stark drop-off to his 92nd percentile rating compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers, in figures compiled by FB Ref.
Whether Havertz can be a link-up option capable of also leading a high press is a different argument, and the stats would support such a role:
- 90th percentile for tackles
- 82nd percentile for touches in opposing penalty box
- 94th percentile for pass completion percentage
It remains to be seen what Arteta would have in store for the midfielder, though, at the age of 24, there should be plenty of room left to develop a still exciting talent in the game.