Arteta backs Havertz to reach 30 goals as Arsenal prepare for Forest
Mikel Arteta believes Kai Havertz can become a 30-goal-a-season striker for Arsenal, even as the forward takes a five-match scoreless run into Sunday’s visit to…
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Mikel Arteta believes Kai Havertz can become a 30-goal-a-season striker for Arsenal, even as the forward takes a five-match scoreless run into Sunday’s visit to Nottingham Forest. The manager’s backing also underlines Havertz’s place ahead of Viktor Gyokeres in the battle to lead Arsenal’s attack.
“He has that ability,” Arteta said before the Forest match, as quoted by Metro. “That is why he is playing there as well, and that is why we signed him.” He added that Havertz needs “that volume of games and actions” to reach the target.
The challenge is a steep one against Havertz’s previous Arsenal returns. Metro reports that he scored 14 goals in his first season after joining from Chelsea in 2023, then 15 in the next campaign. A hamstring injury kept him out for the final four months of that season, while further hamstring and knee problems limited him to 24 appearances and seven goals last term.
Arteta said Havertz has returned to his level quickly after that disruption. He praised the 27-year-old’s football intelligence and mentality, saying: “He understands everything at such speed, and he can break down information better probably than anyone else on the team.”
For Gyokeres, the immediate task is to turn his work into goals. Metro reports that the Sweden international made his third start of the season against Lille on Tuesday, was withdrawn midway through the second half and has yet to score in seven appearances. That follows 21 goals in his debut Arsenal campaign and 97 in 102 appearances for Sporting Lisbon, according to Metro.
Arteta declined to judge Gyokeres’ confidence, but said the striker shows “an incredible will and determination and work-rate to improve and help the team.” He added that scoring, or not scoring, can change the narrative around a player.
Arsenal travel to the City Ground second in the Premier League, with 15 points from six games. Sunday’s match gives Havertz the next chance to support Arteta’s prediction with goals, while Gyokeres will be looking to press his case for a larger role.
