Graeme Souness says 24-year-old Arsenal player ‘lacks the basic ingredients’ to be a goalscorer

Add as preferred source on Google

Graeme Souness has given his verdict on Arsenal summer signing Kai Havertz.

The Liverpool legend and talkSPORT pundit has not been impressed at all by the performances of Havertz this season.

So, what has Graeme Souness said about Kai Havertz? Let’s take a look.

Graeme Souness critical of Arsenal player Kai Havertz

Well, Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has not been impressed by the performances of Arsenal attacker Kai Havertz this season.

The talkSPORT pundit has noted that Arsenal need goals and does not think the Havertz is the answer.

Souness has said that the 24-year-old Germany international does not have what it takes to score goals on a regular basis.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has used Havertz in a number of positions signing him from London and Premier League rivals Chelsea in the summer of 2023.

Arteta has deployed Havertz in central midfield, in attacking midfield and as a centre-forward. He also turned out at left-back for Germany this season.

Souness told The Daily Mail about Havertz: “I said on these pages four months ago that you are not paying £65million for Kai Havertz on the basis of what he had shown on the pitch for Chelsea. 

“I still think he lacks the basic ingredients you need to be a goalscorer: bravery, aggression and being prepared to take a blow to the chops to score a goal. I’ve never seen that intensity in him, at Chelsea or Arsenal.”

My View: Don’t criticise Kai Havertz for lack of goals

In my opinion, we should not critcise Kai Havertz for not scoring goals. He is not a striker and should never played up front.

Just because Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has used the former Chelsea player as a centre-forward on four occasions this season does not mean that he is a ‘striker’.

In my view, Havertz is a playmaker. He is a number 10. The problem for him is that Martin Odegaard plays in that position for Arsenal, and he is brilliant.

Havertz has scored four goals and given one assist in 13 starts and six substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal this season.