Arsenal star Kai Havertz has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes, as he is now thriving as a centre-forward.
There were plenty of question marks over the German when Arsenal spent £65m to sign him from Chelsea, given how he had struggled at Stamford Bridge.
Havertz was brought in as a midfielder to replace Granit Xhaka, but he initially failed to perform in the same midfield role, and Arsenal’s buildup suffered.
However, Mikel Arteta struck gold when he moved Havertz to a centre-forward position in January, and he has not looked back since. Arsenal’s attack fully clicked into gear, and they took the Premier League title race to the final day.
Havertz has now claimed that his year at Arsenal has been the best time of his career, having ended the season in superb form.
Kai Havertz says his time at Arsenal was better than any other in his career
Speaking in an interview with German outlet Welt, Havertz claimed that he is glad he decided to trade Chelsea for Arsenal, given how much better he feels at the Emirates.
“Arsenal has always impressed me – and so has this fact. I really wanted to join this club because they have a clear plan and a predetermined development with the goal of winning titles. The change was worth it. It’s been the best year in my career so far,” he stated.
“Chelsea fans were angry that I left, the Arsenal fans weren’t so enthusiastic either, because it didn’t go so well at the start.
“Then there is strength when the coach, teammates and the people in your close environment stand by you and support you”
Kai Havertz fired shots at Chelsea after difficult spell
Although Havertz won the Champions League at Chelsea, and even scored the winner in the final against Manchester City, his three-year spell at the club was a difficult time for him.
Like in his early days at Arsenal, it was unclear which position suited Havertz the most, and he was constantly changing roles between the midfield and attack.
Chelsea also underwent some chaotic changes after their new owners took over in 2022, with Havertz playing under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard in a team which hit a crisis point.
The 24-year-old is now loving life at Arsenal, and will aim to build on what became a very productive first season at the club.