Journalist says 24-year-old Arsenal player really hasn’t lived up to his price-tag at all

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Journalist Gab Marcotti has ranked Kai Havertz as the second worst signing of the summer so far, noting that he believes that the Arsenal star does have huge potential.

Marcotti was speaking on ESPN as he placed the German in second place, with top spot being given to all of the top stars who moved to the Saudi Pro League.

Kai Havertz has not had the easiest time since making the move to Arsenal in the summer. There was plenty of surprise and shock when the forward started to be linked with the Gunners. Of course, he had struggled to live up to expectations over the course of his spell at Chelsea.

Nevertheless, Arsenal decided to spend £65 million to bring the 24-year-old. Unfortunately, the move is yet to prove to be another Mikel Arteta masterstroke.

Gab Marcotti ranks Kai Havertz as the summer’s second worst signing

Havertz has shown glimpses. He was superb when up front in the Community Shield. And Havertz did receive some praise for the assist he provided for Arsenal’s winner against Manchester City before the international break.

But he has certainly not managed to justify the fee that Arsenal spent. Marcotti made a point of making clear that it is too soon to make a strong judgement on any summer signing. However, he admitted that Havertz is yet to make any significant inroads into paying his fee back.

“Kai Havertz,” he replied on ESPN, when asked to name the second worst signing of the summer. “I do think he’s potentially, as the song goes, the best on earth. But €75 million is a ton of money.

“Just the one goal so far this season. He’s been dropped for Fabio Vieira on a couple of occasions. He’s learning, not really a new position, but a role he hasn’t played before, or he hasn’t played in a long time I should say, playing in attacking midfield.

“So far, we haven’t seen him live up to his price-tag.”

Criticism of Arsenal star has seen fans rally around him

The one positive to the amount of criticism Havertz has faced is that it seems that it has prompted the Arsenal fans to try and protect him.

Of course, they have their own concerns about his arrival. But there was genuine delight amongst the fans when he scored that penalty against Bournemouth.

Marcotti is not one of those who has gone too far, by any means. How could anyone suggest that Havertz has been a successful signing so far? And he acknowledges the potential the Arsenal star has.

But there have been others who have been so dismissive that it can only fuel Havertz to prove them wrong over his time at Arsenal.