Arteta’s strategy to unleash Havertz’s full potential at Arsenal

Arteta unveils Havertz’s potential roles at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has suggested that the club’s recent signing, Kai Havertz, could fulfil various positions during the forthcoming season.

The German international, a £65m acquisition from Chelsea, has demonstrated versatility in his early appearances for the Gunners.

Operating on the left of midfield – a void left by Granit Xhaka – Havertz echoed his academy days at Bayer Leverkusen, where he was utilised in similar roles.

Havertz’s scoring debut in Arsenal’s victory

Making his mark, Havertz scored his inaugural Arsenal goal during the resounding 5-0 victory over the MLS All-Stars. He accomplished this feat from central midfield, entering the fray as a substitute.

Arteta’s squad seems well-positioned with Havertz, especially considering the ongoing contest between Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah for the No.9 spot.

Arteta, highlighting Havertz’s qualities, stated, “He gives us something very different with his quality and size as well, when you have to beat the press for example and use him as a target man.

“So, we will see – for now, he’s playing in the attacking midfield position, but I’m sure throughout the season and throughout games as well, we’re going to have the options to play him in different positions.”

New signings show promise in the wake of Arsenal’s victory

Apart from Havertz, Declan Rice, Arsenal’s record-breaking £105m acquisition from West Ham, also made his debut in Washington DC.

However, it was Jurrien Timber, the £40m full-back from Ajax, that had fans buzzing.

Despite entering as a substitute midway through the second half, Timber managed 29 touches of the ball, won all his ground duels, and boasted a 95 per cent pass accuracy.

With Havertz’s tactical flexibility and the promise shown by other new signings, the upcoming season for Arsenal could be an intriguing journey.

“The idea is to be more unpredictable every year and be more difficult for the opponents to stop and nullify what we want to do,” Arteta added. “That’s what we have now, especially at the back and in the midfield the options we have, to open up the spaces, we have many more options than we had last year.”