Liverpool icon slams Arteta for Arsenal signing; insists we ‘may never see him again’ if things go wrong
Former Liverpool player Stevie Nicol has said he ‘doesn’t understand’ why Arsenal have signed Kai Havertz from Chelsea this summer.
Mikel Arteta is expected to make several signings ahead of next season as he looks to build on a superb 2022/23 campaign.
Havertz was confirmed as a new Arsenal player on Wednesday after they agreed a £65m fee with Chelsea. The 24-year-old is, undoubtedly, a top player when in form.
However, he did struggle somewhat last season. Overall, he made 35 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. In the process, he scored seven goals and made one assist.
While these aren’t great numbers, it’s fair to say that the entire Blues squad struggled to perform.
Also, For a lot of the campaign, he was forced to play as a centre-forward. Previously, however, he has generally played as an attacking midfielder or winger.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how he slots into Arsenal’s starting XI. If, indeed, Arteta opts to throw him straight into the team.
Nicol: ‘I don’t get’ why Havertz is joining Arsenal
Now, Nicol has given his verdict on Havertz’s move to Arsenal. He thinks it will be difficult for the German to break into Arteta’s front line.
“I didn’t say that (I don’t like Havertz),” said Nicol. “I said that ‘I don’t get the transfer to Arsenal,”’ Nicol told ESPN.
“I don’t get where he fits in and the rest of it. I didn’t say ‘I don’t like Havertz’.
“He’s not getting 18 goals. I would love to see how he gets all these assists and goals because I am not sure he starts.
“There’s no way Jesus doesn’t start, right?! The front three is set. If Havertz, in his first game, if he does start in the middle, has a shocker, then you might never see him again.
“Arteta might go ‘you know what, I have made a big mistake. This isn’t going to work’.
“If he plays four, five or six games and, all of a sudden, Arteta goes ‘well, you know what, this isn’t too bad going forward, but defensively teams are getting at us for fun.
“I am going to change something here’. I am (negative towards it) because I don’t understand the signing.”
So, it will be interesting to see if Havertz can prove Nicol wrong. Arsenal fans will certainly be hoping so.
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