FAST DOWNLOAD
WHAT HAPPENED?
Mikel Arteta was criticised for signing Kai Havertz from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, instead of going for a natural centre-forward. The Germany international initially struggled to adjust at Emirates Stadium, however, with time he has become a mainstay in the Gunners’ attack and made 68 appearances for the club, scoring 21 goals.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
In the 2024-25 campaign, Havertz enjoyed a solid start having scored four goals in his first seven Premier League outings, but in his last four league appearances he has failed to find the back of the net. Gallas, who spent four years at Arsenal, has urged Arteta to look beyond the German forward and bring in Osimhen – who is currently on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli – if they want to win the Premier League.
Speaking to Genting Casino, the 47-year-old said: “Kai Havertz has never ever been the right man to take Arsenal to the Premier League title. Havertz is a good player, but he’s not top-class. I’m sorry, but he’s nowhere near a world-class level, Arsenal need a player to replace him as a striker.
“I still don’t understand why Victor Osimhen is at Galatasaray, he needs to play in the Premier League and he can play at the top level at Arsenal. It’s difficult to understand football sometimes, he played really well at Napoli, then made a move to Galatasaray, who are a big club but he needs to be playing at a higher level. Arsenal need a striker like Osimhen, the club needs to wake up, it’s obvious and simple, they need a striker.”
He added: “You need a strong squad to compete with each other, that’s how Man City and Liverpool stay at such a high level, if you have the same starting XI every week then the performance level will drop. All the Man City players are international players and even the ones on the bench, that’s the level Arsenal need to reach.”
WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
The north London side, who are currently fourth in the Premier League table, will next take on Sporting CP in a Champions League clash away from home on Tuesday.
