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Kai Havertz explains how he overcame early Arsenal struggles to become key player
Kai Havertz has opened up about his initial struggles at Arsenal, following his goal-scoring performance in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Brighton, which extends his impressive run of form.
When the German international signed from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, it was anticipated that he would occupy a midfield role. However, his early appearances in the 2023/24 season in that position yielded little success.
Subsequently, he has predominantly featured as a striker and has blossomed into a more prolific goal-scoring threat, netting nine goals in 30 Premier League games this season.
In an interview with Sky in Germany, the 24-year-old expressed that he now feels “extremely comfortable” within the Gunners’ squad, despite requiring some time to acclimate to his new surroundings.
He said: “For me, when I moved to Chelsea [in 2020], it was normal that you needed a little time to arrive and to get to know everyone properly and to have a good relationship on the pitch. And it was clear to me that it would take a few weeks.
“I’m someone who doesn’t come out of my shell so easily in a new environment, but for me it always takes a few weeks or a few months. Nowadays it has definitely clicked. I feel extremely comfortable. I love the club, I love the players, the staff and I love the fans. So for me it was absolutely the right thing to do and I’m just happy.
“To be here and fight for titles this year. We still have two titles that can be won and now the important weeks of the season begin and I personally and of course the whole team will do everything to win titles.”
He also addressed the famous ‘Kai Havertz scores again‘ chant, saying the song is ‘really cool.‘
“I generally think the song is really cool. It’s just nice when you score a goal that the fans celebrate it so much, that the fans are so behind you. I think that’s extremely important for a footballer because you can’t be at your highest performance level every day,” he added.
“It’s normal that things always fluctuate a little bit. And that’s why it feels extremely nice for me. I like the song, I like the melody.”