Kai Havertz branded an ‘illusion’ who is ‘not good enough to play in the Premier League’ despite recent Arsenal heroics

Arsenal fans have been told not to get their hopes up about Kai Havertz and the suggestion he is finally ‘coming good’ at the Emirates Stadium.

That’s come from someone who watched him week-in, week-out at Chelsea, was disappointed with so many false dawns and was left with this brutal verdict: ‘He’s not just not good enough’.

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Havertz is starting to show glimpses of why he was worth £65m – but how long will it last?Credit: Getty

Havertz’s £65million transfer between the London rivals split opinion in the summer, and while he struggled to win over his doubters, there have at least been signs that he’s settling into a role within Mikel Arteta’s team.

Four goals and one assist in 23 appearances is not an amazing return for a player of his talent and cost, but he has emerged as a hero for the Gunners in recent games.

A last-minute winner in a 1-0 victory at Brentford in November was followed by a neat finish in a 6-0 Champions League win over Lens, and then a goal in a 4-3 thriller against Luton, with Arsenal supporters hoping the German maintains his knack for finding the net.

But Rory Jennings insists it’s not going to happen and certainly didn’t mince his words when asked by talkSPORT host Host Ade Oladipo about the forward’s current form.

“I know where this is going, I know what you’re going to do, and I just think it’s nonsense before you’ve said a word,” said diehard Chelsea fan, Jennings.

“You’re about to tell me that Kai Havertz has turned a corner and I was wrong about him… but has he turned a corner? No. Am I going to take back the things I said about him? No! Because I’m right!”

What were the things he said about him? Well, Jennings had his say on Havertz in June shortly before he sealed his move from west to north London, and it’s fair to say he didn’t rate the German ace very highly…

“It’s not just my opinion that I don’t rate him, it’s fact,” he said.

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Arteta has consistently backed Havertz and given him game time where fans have argued other players deserve their chance moreCredit: Getty

“Look at the numbers: 139 appearances for Chelsea, 32 goals – that’s not impressive,” he said. “I cannot understand why Arsenal think Havertz is the answer. He will bring nothing to that team. Watching Kai Havertz play over the last two and a half years, I just don’t really get it.”

And it appears his verdict has not changed.

Simon Jordan & Martin Keown debate why Arsenal signed Kai Havertz and whether he is good enough

“I’m completely right,” he told Oladipo on their Thank Football It’s Friday show on talkSPORT.

“Kai Havertz isn’t the man Arsenal need him to be. He isn’t good enough to play in the Premier League and he’s certainly not good enough to play at Arsenal. He’s not better than any of the players who were at Arsenal before he arrived.

“He’s done alright recently, he’s scored a couple of goals from a couple of yards, he’s done OK, but we’ve seen all this before and nothing has changed 

“He scored that last-minute winner against Brentford and people said this is the turning point for him, but I’ve seen Kai Havertz score a hat-trick for Chelsea, I’ve seen him score a last-minute winner for Chelsea against Newcastle.

“Most importantly, I’ve seen him win Chelsea a European Cup final, I’ve seen him make Sergio Aguero cry in Portugal and I said that will be the springboard. He stopped Man City winning the Champions League, he brought London its second ever European Cup.

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Havertz broke Man City hearts with his goal to win the Champions League – but many fans are still questioning what he actually brings on the pitchCredit: Getty

“I’ve seen him do it all before, and it’s never changed anything. For every one moment like that the geezer will miss a sitter! For every moment like that there are countless terrible performances you will have to tolerate with Kai Havertz.

“He hasn’t turned a corner, he hasn’t. It’s all smoke and mirrors with Kai Havertz. It’s all an illusion.

“The fella won a European Cup for Chelsea and I said, ‘The player he is going to be next season’, people were talking about the Leverkusen player and all that, but he ended up being pitiful that year.

“And I believe he will be pitiful again for Arsenal very soon.”

Over to you, Kai.

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