Kai Havertz Has Become an Elite Player in the Elite League

The camera followed Kai Havertz so closely after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Chelsea that it resembled the defensive attention Chelsea coach Xabi Alonso might have wanted during the match. The assignment was simple: capture nearly every reaction from the Arsenal forward.

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Should I try it again?

Arsenal’s stadium played Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” reworked by the club’s supporters after Havertz moved from Chelsea in 2023. Opposing fans once mocked the player, who cost £60 million, as a poor signing. On Sunday, the chant was aimed at his former club: “Waka Waka, eh, eh / 60 million down the drain / Kai Havertz scores again!”

Havertz first equalized in the 25th minute after Morgan Rogers had put Chelsea ahead with a volley after 77 seconds. He cut in from the right and struck firmly with his left foot. The shot surprised goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who had recently joined Chelsea from Aston Villa, as the ball went against his movement and through Maxence Lacroix’s legs.

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worked pretty well

Five minutes after halftime, Havertz produced the decisive moment without touching the ball. He pulled his foot back at the last instant, allowing a pass to slip under his studs and leaving Ødegaard with a simple finish. Havertz said Ødegaard had called for him to let the ball through, though he had hesitated after a similar earlier move had failed. “Should I try it again?” he recalled asking himself. This time, he said, it “worked pretty well.”

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a really clever player

Ødegaard called Havertz “a really clever player” who moves well and occupies defenders. He described the goal as “brilliant.” Havertz’s early-season form has brought three goals in four competitive matches, reinforcing the impression that he has become an established figure after critics once questioned Arsenal’s investment.

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brilliant