- Arsenal bought Havertz for £67.5m ($86.3m)
- German gradually settling under Mikel Arteta
- Claims No. 8 is his favourite position
WHAT HAPPENED? The 24-year-old has been gradually settling into life under Mikel Arteta after sealing a £67.5m ($86.3m) move from the south London club. He has been mostly deployed in a three-man midfield alongside new signing Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. However, he switched positions intermittently during the 5-3 win over Barcelona while also getting on the scoresheet.
Havertz has now claimed that although the Arsenal brand of football is "completely different" to that of Chelsea, the style suits him perfectly.
WHAT THEY SAID: "Obviously it is a completely different style of football than what we played at Chelsea. I think it's a style that suits me very well. Of course it always takes a bit of a while to get used to that again. I am two-and-a-half weeks here. It is going to take some time, but I am giving everything to try to perform on a high level," he told ESPN.
"You play when you train well and play well in the games. I think I have to also give everything in every session, in every game. That is how I get into the team. Not only me but every player. Always in a big club like this there is competition. I am going to give 100% to play," he added.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Havertz believes that the No. 8 position is the best for him as he gets to see the ball more often. Moreover, he also wants to contribute by scoring goals which he thinks is an important aspect of playing as a No. 8.
"I really enjoy it, to play that position [as a No. 8]. I am more on the ball, more integrated in the game. I am really enjoying it. I think I have a lot of room to improve in the games, I am still adapting to the game and everything. So far it is working quite well. I think [goals are] important for my position, and also with my height. I want to score goals. It's part of my game. I always have to arrive there. Hopefully it works more times in the league now," he stated.
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WHAT NEXT? After struggling for consistency at Chelsea, Havrtz wants to turn around his fortunes at the Emirates. The midfielder will be back in action on August 2 against AS Monaco in the Emirates Cup before locking horns against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield.