David Ornstein has shared the information he has been given about Arsenal summer signing Kai Havertz.
The Athletic journalist has noted the players Arsenal wanted to sign before they got Havertz.
Ornstein has also said when Arsenal really started following the Germany international.
So, what has David Ornstein said about Arsenal midfielder Kai Havertz? Let’s take a look.
What’s the story?
Well, according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal have been scouting Kai Havertz way before he moved to Chelsea.
Ornstein has claimed that Arsenal were scouting Havertz, who can operate as a midfielder or as a forward, back when Arsene Wenger was in charge of the North London club.
The well-known and well-respected reporter has noted that Arsenal looked at signing midfielders Mason Mount and Ilkay Gundogan before settling on Havertz.
While England international midfielder Mount joined Manchester United from Chelsea, German star Gundogan moved to Barcelona on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City.
Havertz moved to Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. The Gunners paid £65 million in transfer fees for the 24-year-old.
Ornstein said on The Athletic Football Podcast: “Arsenal’s pursuit of Kai Havertz goes way back before Mikel Arteta, so they were very interested in him when he was a young player at Bayer Leverkusen. They scouted him extensively under the Arsene Wenger regime, so you are talking about recruitment personal like Francis Cagigao, Peter Clarke, Brian McDermott and Daniel Karbassiyoon.
“They were watching his debut season at great length. I was told that at least 25 games [were watched]. So he was on their radar very much. At one point when he was really young he was more seen as a development player on the left wing and then around 2020, before joining Chelsea, it was in the number 10 role and other players they were looking at around then including the likes of Fekir, Ruiz and Odegaard, who eventually came to sign.
“They were always in contact with the representatives and it was about when he whether sign a contract [at Leverkusen], when he did which was always his intention, his value went out of the bracket Arsenal were looking to spend in those days and that’s why by the time Chelsea came on the scene, Arsenal were not there on that price level.
“But that shows there is background and history to this. Fast forward to the summer just gone and coming towards the spring time, March, I think Arsenal had him on their radar yet again, given he was approaching the final two years of his contract.
“It’s fair to say they were prioritising somebody like Mason Mount, Ilkay Gundagon were in the mix, there were other names as well – Kai Havertz was in and amongst it – and Arteta was a firm fan of his, so I think it was him who was driving this, Edu was on board as well and it really developed very quickly when Havertz started to be linked with Real Madrid in particular and Bayern Munich a little bit too.
“I started to check this out and was told not so sure, Bayern were there a little bit, Madrid were waiting to see what was unfolding with Harry Kane but once he found out about Arsenal’s interest I’m told there was a Zoom conversation with Mikel Arteta and Havertz was then fully committed to Arsenal. That was his desire.”
Kai Havertz needs to step up his game at Arsenal
That Arsenal were scouting Kai Havertz when Arsene Wenger was the manager shows just how long the Gunners had followed the German before they signed him in the summer of 2023.
It indicates that the Arsenal recruitment team does think that Havertz is a very good fit for the Gunners.
Things have not been great for Havertz so far this season, but I believe that under Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, the German will get better and improve.
However, at the same time, Havertz needs to step up his game. The 24-year-old has to start being more effective and has to kick on from the goal that he scored against Brentford in the London derby this past weekend.
Havertz has scored two goals and given one assist in eight Premier League starts and has made three starts and one substitute appearance in the UEFA Champions League for Arsenal so far this season.