“Arteta Would Never Choose Kai Havertz Over Arsenal Target, Expert Warns”
“Arteta Would Never Choose Kai Havertz Over Arsenal Target, Expert Warns”
ESPN pundit and former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has fired a warning to Arsenal forward Kai Havertz amid a summer transfer rumour.
Kai Havertz impressed when tasked with leading the line for Arsenal last season.
Having joined the North London club last summer, Mikel Arteta initially planned to reinvent the German as a midfielder. However, the former Chelsea man struggled to produce his best form for the Gunners in this unfamiliar role, and looked short on confidence.
Around the mid-point of the campaign, Arteta pushed Havertz further up the pitch, and he hit a purple patch whilst leading the line. Havertz will likely be the Gunners’ first choice striker heading into the new season.
However, it is no secret that Arteta is on the hunt for a new striker this summer. Arsenal have been linked with Victor Osimhen, amongst other mooted targets.
Signing the Napoli superstar would represent a huge statement of intent, and would generate major excitement at the Emirates Stadium. After all, the Nigerian is one of the best strikers in world football, and fired the Italian club to a historic Serie A title triumph with 26 league goals in the 2022/23 season.
Of course, the 25-year-old wouldn’t come cheap, but Arsenal have now been urged to push for a deal if it is at all possible for one to be done.
Kai Havertz warned Victor Osimhen would usurp him at Arsenal
Former full-back Steve Nicol believes that Osimhen would be a brilliant addition for Arsenal, but recognises that Havertz would suffer as a consequence of the attacker’s arrival.
Speaking on ESPN, he said: “I really don’t see where the argument is. If somebody said to you, ‘I will tell you what, you can either have Havertz or you can have Osimhen,’ are you really going to take Havertz? You are not going to take him in a million years over Osimhen.
“So, if you can do it, if you can afford it, 100%. When it really matters and you maybe only have one chance in a game, again the question is who’s going to score it? Is it going to be Havertz? Is it going to be Osimhen? Everybody will say, well, he [Havertz] scored in the Champions League final, but the truth is he takes too many chances to score his goals that Osimhen won’t.”
Other Arsenal striker transfer targets
Osimhen is not the only striker that the Gunners are keeping tabs on this summer. Arsenal are pushing to sign Viktor Gyokeres. The Sweden international was in sensational form for Sporting last season, and deserves an opportunity to test himself in the Premier League.
Arsenal fans have reacted to links with Julian Alvarez, with the Argentine thought to be unsettled at the Etihad Stadium. It is doubtful that Manchester City would allow him to join their title rivals, though.
