Former Arsenal star Kieran Gibbs has questioned Mikel Arteta’s plan for his new £70million signing .
after the Gunners agreed to meet the Blues hefty asking price.
Havertz has largely flattered to deceive since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen three years ago, although Arteta appears to believe he was miscast as a false nine.
and will deploy him in the position that was filled by Granit Xhaka last season.
Gibbs, however, fears Havertz lacks the physicality and technical ability to thrive in the heat of a Premier League midfield battle.
He told ESPN FC: ‘I don’t know with this one, I’d love to know what Havertz is thinking himself.
‘I wonder if he is sat there thinking I wonder how I’ve managed to snag this move after the last two seasons or is he thinking he’s genuinely worth this and he’s going to deliver.
‘A £70million signing is a signature signing. For that I want someone who when things are going bad he’s going to put the team on his back and say don’t worry boys I’ve got this. At first sight I don’t see it. Right now I don’t see it.
‘That role he’s going to play it is basically a replacement for Xhaka and that’s where I think Mikel sees him.
‘The Havertz we’ve seen before, we’ve just not seen it. I don’t know if he’s physical enough to be in there, I don’t know if he’s got the ability to use his body in situations to get out of trouble or the technical ability to play in tight areas.
‘The midfield players we know over years and years at Arsenal had that, it’s always been one of the strengths of Arsenal and the teams that I played in. That position was valued so highly because we knew how important those little moments are in the games where players have the ability to change the game in one moment.
‘Cazorla, Wilshere, Ozil, Fabregas, Song, Rosicky, the list goes on. With Havertz I just don’t know if I can see that in him yet.’
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