Arsenal's Mr. Versatile? Where Kai Havertz will play under Mikel Arteta after surprise £65m transfer from Chelsea

Tuchel was clear on what Havertz would bring his team after joining his compatriot at Chelsea in 2021. “He is very comfortable in high positions, he is very good in offensive headers, he has good timing to arrive in the box, good finishing, good composure in the box,” he told reporters.

But there was a caveat, as he added: “Does he need to settle on one special position? Or is he kind of a hybrid?” Two years on, we still don't have a definitive answer to that question.

Havertz is part-striker, part-attacking midfielder, capable of operating on either flank and through the middle due to his impressive ability with both feet. As a result, he has rarely been out of Chelsea's starting line up - despite his underwhelming output in the final third.

The 2022-23 campaign was a hugely disappointing one for the former Leverkusen starlet, as he averaged just 0.23 goals per game and missed 14 of the 18 'big chances' that came his way in the Premier League. Havertz was often used as a No.9, and he cut an isolated figure with no one reliable enough to play off him.

It was certainly no coincidence that Chelsea posted their worst-ever goals total for a top-flight season, with just 38 scored across their 38 fixtures. But Havertz is still very capable of adding a new dimension to Arsenal's attack.

The Gunners had no problems finding the net during their tilt at the title last season, with Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli backed up by the creative qualities of Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka. They have far greater firepower than Chelsea, and there are a number of different ways Arteta could throw Havertz into the mix and utilise his versatility to maximum effect.

“He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin with his back to goal the way he can hold the ball," Arsenal legend Thierry Henry told CBS Sports when quizzed on what Havertz could offer Arteta's team. "Robin van Persie was very good with his left foot, the touch was always immaculate and he tried to bring people along.

"This is why out of the guys that used to be wingers or No.10, he plays as a nine because with his back to goal he can hold the ball well. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him.”

Tuchel also likened Havertz to Van Persie during his time at Chelsea, and Arsenal supporters will certainly hope that he can emulate the flying Dutchman, who scored 132 goals in 278 games for the club. Van Persie started out as a traditional centre-forward, but Arsene Wenger moved him into a 'false nine' position as he matured.

Van Persie wasn't just a supreme goalscorer, but he was also a great link-up player. It's entirely possible that Arteta sees Havertz making a similar contribution, either alongside Jesus or ahead of him.

Havertz has the balance, skill and footballing intelligence necessary to cause plenty of damage while operating between the lines and bringing others into play. He'll have no problem with pressing the opposition high up the pitch at Arsenal, having always been a very hard worker out of possession, but he can also potentially bring greater flexibility and ingenuity to their forward line.

Before his switch to Chelsea in 2020, Havertz revealed his preferred position in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca. "I would say the No.8 position, inside right," he said. "I'm not a classic No.10, but I like to have the ball at my feet, simply enjoying myself on the pitch."

Odegaard currently fills that spot for Arsenal, and that's not going to change anytime soon. The Norwegian was one of the best players in the Premier League last season, and he's the man Arteta has chosen as his captain.

Havertz might prefer the right, but he'd also have no trouble playing on the left side of midfield in Arteta's 4-3-3 set-up. He'll have big shoes to fill, with Granit Xhaka set to leave on the back of his best campaign in an Arsenal shirt - ironically for Havertz's former club, Leverkusen.

The German playmaker won't offer as much to Arsenal defensively as Xhaka, but he would be primed to make late runs into the box and pick up possession more often in half spaces. Havertz recorded 54 open-play shot-creating actions last season, more than any other Chelsea player - which highlights how inventive he can be.

His movement off the ball is also excellent. When asked to assess Havertz's game in an interview with Sky Sports in 2020, former Leverkusen boss Tayfun Korkut said: "He moves fantastically between the lines. He knows exactly where to stand. He sees the spaces where he needs to be. When the space begins to close, he moves to the next space. So, he not only controls the ball, he controls the space. That is why he is always in the right position."

Havertz is elusive, physically strong and a masterful technician, which makes him a perfect option for Arsenal in a deeper role. Arsenal aren't paying £65m for the player Havertz has been for three years at Chelsea - they're making that investment in the player Arteta thinks Havertz can become in his system.

Havertz shouldered the main attacking burden at Chelsea after Romelu Lukaku's return to Inter on loan last summer, despite a stern warning from Arsenal legend Paul Merson. “Kai Havertz is a No.10 for me. Not a centre-forward. I look at him as a Dennis Bergkamp kind of player,” Merson wrote in his column for the Daily Star.

“He doesn’t need the ball with his back to goal. He’s too good for that. He needs the ball facing towards goal and he will make things happen." Merson was proven right as the goals dried up for Chelsea and Havertz struggled to make any meaningful impact.

But it's safe to say that the Gunners won't make the same mistake after luring Havertz away from their London rivals. He could prove to be the perfect foil for Jesus upfront, just as Bergkamp was for Henry in his prime.

Havertz can make the sublime look effortless in the same way Bergkamp did, as he boasts the same exquisite first touch, weight of pass and coolness in front of goal. Arteta would have to experiment with a different formation to pair Havertz and Jesus together, but the rewards could be huge.

Jesus is a whirlwind of frenetic energy, and would surely get behind defences at will with Havertz providing expert service in behind. There is one other possible role Havertz could occupy, though.

Saka was outstanding for Arsenal in 2022-23, but it could be argued that he suffered from burnout towards the end of the campaign. Havertz's presence would give Arteta the option to rest Saka at certain points, and he could be equally as dangerous as the England man on the right wing.

The Germany star is equally as comfortable coming inside on his left foot as he is running down the line on his right, and more often than not, he makes the right decisions when he gets into space in advanced areas. Dropping Saka outright would make no sense, but Havertz will be able to fill in if needed and provide a different kind of threat.

Havertz has a reputation as a big-game player, and rightly so. He showed nerves of steel to deliver in the 2021 Champions League, and repeated the trick in the Club World Cup later that year.

Chelsea's clash with Palmeiras in the United Arab Emirates was locked at 1-1 until deep into extra-time, when the Blues were awarded a penalty. Havertz stepped up, and after a clever staggered run-up, side-footed the ball into the bottom corner with consummate ease.

His execution under pressure is impressive, and Arsenal will hope to rely on him for inspiration when they need it most. But he may first need to rediscover some lost confidence at the Emirates.

“For me the price was a big thing. I was Chelsea’s most expensive player," Havertz told The Guardian in March. "That brings pressure because people think you are [Lionel] Messi. You can feel it, the tension."

Havertz buckled under the weight of expectation last term, and will need to go back to the drawing board. At the moment, It seems unlikely that he will go on to challenge for the Ballon d'Or, or even come close to fulfilling the potential he showed in the early stages of his career at Leverkusen.

But Arteta will have studied Havertz's time at Chelsea closely, and concluded that he is worth the gamble. He failed in his final year with the Blues, but no one could fault his effort levels.

Only Tottenham's Heung-min Son and Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins made more attacking runs than Havertz in 2022-23, and he covered more ground than any of his Chelsea colleagues. Unfortunately, he was part of a squad in serious decline - but Arsenal will give him the platform to silence his critics once and for all.

At the tender age of 24, Havertz has already experienced many of the highs and lows of football at the very highest level. And he will be stronger for it.

Chelsea are giving up on him well before the peak years of his career, and they could end up regretting it. Despite his struggles at the Bridge, Havertz has been in high demand once again.

Arsenal have managed to clinch a deal, but Bayern Munich and Real Madrid both reignited their interest in the forward before deciding to pursue other targets. Havertz's stock hasn't dropped - he remains a superstar in waiting.

Arteta wouldn't be signing the Chelsea misfit if he didn't think he can improve his Arsenal team. And one thing that the Premier League runners-up certainly did lack last season was a genuine aerial threat in the penalty area.

Havertz can change that, regardless of which position he ends up in. Not counting defenders, the 6'2 Chelsea man was fourth on the list for the most aerial duels won (79), behind Tomas Soucek, Ivan Toney and Aleksandr Mitrovic.

Three of his seven Premier League goals were headers, and only 11 players managed more headed shots on target. Havertz is adept when it comes to timing his runs into the box, too, which means Arsenal won't always have to pass the ball into the back of the net.

He will also know only too well himself, where things went wrong for him at Chelsea. A fresh start at the Emirates is exactly what Havertz needs. Arsenal are acquiring a player who is still hungry to prove himself, and one who will be determined to get back to winning trophies. Few players of Havertz's age boast the same level of experience or ability, which is why he is a shrewd addition to Arteta's ranks.

It will be fascinating to see how he adapts to life in north London next season, as Arsenal eye another push for Manchester City's Premier League crown. If Havertz reaches the heights he is capable of, the Gunners could well surprise everyone again.