Several Arsenal stars are set to feature in the upcoming European Championships this summer, but whilst some performed superbly for their club, they may have a point to prove on the International stage.
William Saliba was one of Arsenal’s best players this season, but France manager Didier Deschamps wants to see more from him, and he is set to be benched for the start of the tournament.
One of his Arsenal teammates has had better luck with his coach, as Germany forward Kai Havertz is now set to lead the line for the hosts, but there is pressure on him to deliver.
Havertz struggled in midfield when he initially joined Arsenal last season, but he has thrived since moving to a centre-forward role, and he is set to continue in the same role for his National Team.
Julian Nagelsmann calls for Kai Havertz to continue his Arsenal form for Germany
Speaking in a press conference, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that Havertz had won the battle to lead the line for his team this summer, but highlighted that he needs to maintain a strong level of performance to keep his place.
“We are happy that Fülle (Nicklas Fullkrug) is back. It’s good that we have another striker in the squad. The roles are clear. If Kai performs, he will have the edge. He has to perform. Fülle will get his playing time and will score goals,” he stated.
It is also claimed that Nagelsmann believes that Fullkrug is a better bench option than Havertz, with the Borussia Dortmund striker more capable of changing a game as a substitute than the Arsenal star.
Kai Havertz’s Arsenal form earned him National Team redemption
When Havertz was struggling for Arsenal earlier this season, he was also struggling for the Germany team, with Nagelsmann even trialling him as a left-back in a defeat to Turkey.
However, Havertz ended the season with an astonishing 15 goals and assists in his last 14 Premier League games as a striker, with his link-up play also proving valuable to Mikel Arteta’s side.
When he is playing with full confidence, Havertz has shown his true quality, and he will hope to deliver similar performances for his country as Germany aim to win the Euros.
Whilst Havertz will be surrounded by different players to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, he will still have quality behind him for Germany as he takes on what is a crucial tournament for his future National Team hopes.