Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle for Kai Havertz, as reported by David Ornstein.
According to Ornstein, Arsenal and Chelsea have shook hands on a deal worth £65m. The deal is structured in such a way that the Gunners will pay £62m upfront to the Blues with another £3m to be paid as guaranteed add-ons. Havertz has already agreed on personal terms and the only thing remaining to seal his arrival is a medical test.
Arteta reportedly sees the player as a versatile option whose full potential is yet to be realized. He can play a number of different attacking roles for the club, which will be important seeing as how their squad depth let them down in the final stretch of last season. Arsenal also continues the trend of signing younger players, keeping their squad’s average age at around 25 years, hoping for the club’s long-term success.
Ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge, Havertz has struggled to get things going, as the German International has been played in a number of roles in a struggling attacking unit. He has also been struggling with a few niggles during his short stint with the Blues, which, although not very serious, has seen him miss out on a few important games.
Although not the outcome we fans would have wanted, it is necessary for Chelsea to offload certain players they don’t see having a future at the club. If the hierarchy is going to bring in any of the targets they’re looking at, it will have to be financed primarily by player sales.
Who knows, maybe a change of scenery and mentality might be what propels Havertz to be the player everyone expected him to be when he first arrived in England.
