Arsenal signed the former Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz during the summer transfer window for a substantial amount of money.
The Gunners paid in the region of £65 million for the German international but he has not been able to live up to the expectations so far. The 24-year-old has five goals in 28 appearances across all competitions and the London club expected more from him when they decided to pay a premium.
Havertz helped Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League title during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he was not a prolific goalscorer for them either. At Arsenal, his overall display has been quite underwhelming as well.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes that using the German international as a number nine is killing him psychologically and he is not suited to that role. It will be interesting to see if Mikel Arteta is willing to use him in the number ten role, where he thrived during his time in the Bundesliga.
Kai Havertz is a good footballer but he should not play as a 9 for Arsenal and he doesn’t want to play as a 9. It kills him psychologically so it has a negative impact on the team…your thoughts???? https://t.co/9rEFTvK1F6
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) January 8, 2024
It is evident that the 24-year-old is not a reliable finisher and he will not be able to lead the line for Arsenal successfully. They must look to invest in a reliable poacher in the coming months.
With that said, he is not an elite creator as well. Martin Odegaard is far more effective in that role. It will be interesting to see if Arteta can accommodate the German in a role that brings out the best in him. There is no doubt that he is a world-class talent but the Gunners have not been able to use him effectively so far.