Kai Havertz will be a different player for Arsenal from the one everyone saw at Chelsea. That's the view of Gunners legend Ray Parlour anyway.
Havertz arrived in the Premier League with a huge reputation, having starred in his native Germany for Bayer Leverkusen. But, even though he scored hugely important goals - the Champions League final-winning strike in 2021 - he never quite lived up to the expectation.
Chelsea suffered an extremely disappointing season in 2022/23, finishing in 12th place and having three different managers during the campaign. Havertz was among a number of players to under-perform in difficult circumstances, but he is now looking forward to a new challenge in north London.
Arsenal splashed out £65million on the frontman, with the expectation that he could drop back and play in midfield. And Parlour believes he could be the next Martin Odegaard, if only in how he could rejuvenate his career at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking to JBI Training, the Gunners legend said: "In many ways, it is quite similar to when Arsenal signed Martin Odegaard. Real Madrid didn’t fancy him, so he joined us on loan and then he went back there, but again he wasn’t a key player and he joined on a permanent deal.
"Mikel Arteta saw something in Martin Odegaard and knew that he could get the best out of the player. I’m hoping that he has seen something similar in Kai Havertz and, if he has, then Havertz could be a great signing for Arsenal.
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"Chelsea played like a team of individuals last season. They had so many players and made so many changes at the club. Arsenal were a real team last year. They were completely united, there was that connection with the fans. If Kai Havertz feels that and Mikel Arteta thinks that he can be a very important player for Arsenal, then I think he will be a really good signing."
