Former Chelsea star Pat Nevin criticizes Club’s handling of Kai Havertz
Pat Nevin, a former Chelsea winger and BBC Sports pundit, has lambasted the club for mishandling Kai Havertz before selling him to Arsenal. Nevin, a BBC Sport pundit, reiterated that Chelsea failed to use Havertz’s talents by playing him out of position.
Nevin’s criticism comes as Havertz is finding his footing at Arsenal, where he excels in his chosen role as a false nine. The 24-year-old has been crucial in the Gunners’ quest of the Premier League crown, scoring eight goals while providing three assists this season.
Despite a £75 million price tag when signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020, Havertz struggled to make an impact at Chelsea. Nevin believes this was due to the Blues’ failure to correctly place him.
Nevin wrote about Havertz in his BBC Football: “Part of his problem until now has been his playing in positions that have not suited his skill set. Chelsea had him as an out and out central striker, which was madness for a player whose USP is arriving from deeper to score.
“He did this phenomenally at Bayer Leverkusen where he scored one if every three games, brilliant numbers for any young player who is not a ‘Number 9’.
“Chelsea forgot about his speciality, but Mikel Arteta didn’t, even if he has had to play him up top during the Gunners’ injury crisis.”
Havertz’s versatility and technical prowess have been on full display at Arsenal, where he’s excelling in various positions.
Nevin suggests that with Arsenal’s resurgence in the Premier League and Champions League contention, Havertz’s best years are yet to come.
As Arsenal continue their title push, Havertz’s resurgence serves as a testament to the importance of proper player deployment, a lesson Chelsea learned the hard way.
See More:
- Mauricio Pochettino hails Chelsea’s home form after beating Newcastle
- Jose Mourinho is desperate for new job amid Chelsea links
