Arsenal have reportedly reached an agreement with rivals Chelsea, agreeing to pay an $82 million fee for Kai Havertz. Despite West Ham’s Declan Rice being the club’s top target for the summer, Arsenal has instead gone for the German attacker. The deal should go through soon, with add-ons amounting to around $6 million.
According to The Athletic, Havertz will soon make the switch from Chelsea to Arsenal after both teams agreed on the total package fee. Arsenal had been negotiating with Chelsea for about a week and initially hoped to strike a deal closer to $65 million, while Chelsea had wanted more than $90 million. The agreed fee of $82 million seemed like a fair compromise for both sides.
Havertz arrived in London from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 for a fee of up to $113 million. The versatile German attacker played mostly as a centre-forward with the Blues, although he struggled to fully impress during his time in west London. He scored eight goals in his best-scoring Premier League season, not living up to his hefty price tag.
However, the 24-year-old Havertz can potentially improve under Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, who has shown that he can get the best out of young talent. The German sputtered during his time at Stamford Bridge, so a change of scenery may be the best for him.
Historically speaking, Havertz has played more in midfield than up front; he can fulfill the Granit Xhaka role for the Gunners. Xhaka is likely to leave Arsenal after seven years with the club, and Arteta has deployed the Swiss in a more advanced attacking midfield role – a position Havertz is comfortable with.
Additionally, Havertz can function on either flank or as a centre-forward, which is an advantage for Arteta as he values versatility in his players. Although the $82 million transfer fee is high, the Arsenal boss could see it as an opportunity to essentially purchase multiple players for one price.
The reported agreement between Arsenal and Chelsea is a significant development, particularly as the Gunners hope to achieve a higher placing in the Premier League in the upcoming season. The acquisition of Kai Havertz could be the boost that Arsenal needs to bring home more victories, and there are high expectations for the German attacker.
