"It feels like family" - Kai Havertz opens up on life at Arsenal after summer move from Chelsea
Arsenal star Kai Havertz has lifted the lid on his move to the Gunners from Chelsea this past summer.
Havertz made a somewhat surprising £67.5 million move to the Emirates from Stamford Bridge in the summer. The German has been scrutinized since swapping west London for north London.
The 24-year-old has endured a topsy-turvy start to his Arsenal career with just one goal and one assist in 19 games across competitions. Despite this, he's delighted to be playing for Mikel Arteta's side whom he deems a 'family' (via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):
"I’m super happy to be at Arsenal, it feels like family. It’s always tough when you come from Chelsea, because they are big rivals, so it can take weeks to get some trust from the fans. Goals and good games can help me to get it. I’ll always give 100%."
Havertz has been handed a new midfield role by Arteta at the Emirates after spending the majority of his Chelsea spell in attack. He posted 32 goals and 15 assists in 139 games for the Blues.
There's no denying the former Bayer Leverkusen playmaker's desire to be a success. He recently opted to play as a makeshift left-back for Germany and was on the scoresheet in a 3-2 defeat to Turkey in a friendly.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino hints that he had no say in Kai Havertz's move to Arsenal
Mauricio Pochettino suggested during the summer that he had no influence on Chelsea's decision to sell the likes of Havertz. The Argentine coach was appointed Blues boss in July. Sporting director Paul Winstanley and technical director Laurence Stewart were thus in charge of recruitment matters beforehand.
Pochettino said (via GOAL):
"When we met for the first time, we agreed at the start of July to start to work. Laurence, Paul and the owners presented the strategy plan for the squad, they asked me to start on July 1 and I agreed also. They started to work, the club, I didn’t, the club started to work and I think did a very good job."
Havertz left Chelsea for the Gunners just prior to Pochettino's arrival. It remains to be seen whether the former Tottenham Hotspur coach would have wanted to keep hold of the Germany international.
Pochettino has helped several formerly under-fire Blues stars refind form since his appointment. None more so than Marc Cucurella who's shining under the Argentine at left-back.