Kai Havertz is understanding his true potential at Arsenal, and with the club vying to end the season with a significant trophy, he may not realise it but he will likely play the biggest role in the team to achieve this.
Check Out: Five Top Strikers Poised For Big-Money Moves In 2024
The Gunners are seemingly coming into form at the right time in the new year, having won all eight of their league matches in 2024 so far. They now sit at the top of league table, albeit on goal difference, and still need to navigate a round of 16 UEFA Champions League affair with FC Porto, but the general sentiment around the club is that they now have the capabilities to win either one of those competitions.
The north Londoners' rich vein of form coincides with one of their off-season acquisitions also hitting his stride. Havertz was brought in from crosstown rivals Chelsea for €75 million (R1.5 billion) at the beginning of the campaign, and endured a tough start to life under Mikel Arteta.
The Germany international was alternated between the centre-forward and attacking midfield positions at the beginning of the season, but would start most of his games in the middle of the park. As a consequence of Gabriel Jesus sustaining an injury, however, Arteta was forced into playing the lanky Aachen native more as a striker, and he has flourished in a big way as of late.
The 24-year-old has scored in four successive matches in the Premier League, also grabbing two assists during that time. The latest of those goals was an 86th minute winner against Brentford on Saturday, which catapulted Arsenal above their title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City on the table, perhaps speaking to his true ability and his elite mentality.
For the Blues, his talent was always evident, but it was never utilised in a conducive environment to succeed because of the lack of continuity in players around him as well as coaches. Now, at Arsenal, he is playing under a manager who has a clear way of playing regardless of who they are playing against, and Havertz seems to be revelling in the security of his surroundings.
This version of the record FA Cup winners is in an unfamiliar position as they look to become English and European champions in the same season, something Arteta himself is navigating for the first time. While the inexperience in such situations is prevalent, the team will be counting on players such as Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jesus and Havertz to try and have a successful period during this time.
During his time in west London with the Blues, Havertz scored the winning goal in the 2020/21 Champions League final, and it won't only be his mentality that the team will likely be relying on, but also his ability to find the back of the net.
The 42-cap Germany international has shown he is prolific in front of goal, and this is evident in his goalscoring tally in the Bundesliga. The versatile attacker had two double-digit goalscoring campaigns out of the five seasons he played for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany's top flight.
Check Out: Giving Current Legends Their Roses: Kroos
Goals were something that were hard to come by for Arsenal as they challenged for the league title last season, but if the German can continue scoring the way he has been of late, the Gunners will be a threat for any team in Europe.
Disclaimer: SNL24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on SNL24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of SNL24.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH VIDEO:
