Mikel Arteta admits he still doesn’t quite know what position Kai Havertz will play for Arsenal.
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Havertz joined Arsenal this summer in a surprise £65million move from rivals Chelsea and so far is enjoying life at the Emirates.
The German international was used in a variety of positions at Stamford Bridge – false-nine, striker, right winger, attacking midfielder – though never really thrived in any of them.
Arteta is hoping to change that and in pre-season has used the 24-year-old as a left-sided attacking midfielder in his new look midfield alongside fellow new signing Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard.
But the manager has revealed that he may not play that role all season and says he is yet to work out where Havertz best fits into his system.
‘Well he’s played the majority of the moments as an attacking midfielder on the left but he can play on the right, he can play as a winger coming inside, as a nine, as a false nine,’ Arteta said.
‘We will see. It depends as well, we are seeing a lot of things, I think the team gives you a lot of information every day.
‘[You often see] some connections and some relations that you did not expect until you feel, “Look what is happening there”, and it is natural.
‘So we have to have our eyes open to that and not just close the door to something, because sometimes that is not the best thing to do.’
Arteta was speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Manchester City, where Havertz is expected to make his Gunners debut.
And with Gabriel Jesus out with a knee injury, the manager could well call upon Havertz to lead the line against the Citizens, though he does have other options including Eddie Nketiah, Folarin Balogun and Gabriel Martinelli.
Regardless, Arsenal will be desperate to beat City after missing out on the Premier League title to them last season but it will be no easy task, with the club’s last victory over Pep Guardiola’s side coming in April 2017.
Asked if there was an extra motivation to beat Sunday’s opponents, Arteta simply responded: ‘Yes. It’s time to do it.’
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