Kai Havertz feedback on Raheem Sterling converse volumes after late Arsenal deal
Kai Havertz has already suggested he’ll be a big fan of Arsenal signing Raheem Sterling having heaped praise on him during their time together at Chelsea.
Sterling completed a loan move to Arsenal from their London rivals late on transfer deadline day on Friday. The season-long deal sees the 29-year-old reunite with his fellow forward Havertz, who he played alongside at Stamford Bridge in the 2022/23 season after his previous move from Manchester City.
The Gunners’ new arrival watched from the stands as they held Brighton to a 1-1 draw on Saturday after Declan Rice’s controversial red card, which meant they had to play the majority of the second half a man down. After a dismal Chelsea spell, Sterling will hope to make an impact at Arsenal as they mount another Premier League title challenge.
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Havertz, who scored against Brighton and has settled in at Arsenal since his own transfer from Chelsea, spoke glowingly about Sterling during his time with the Blues. And the German’s comments, where he talked about their on-pitch relationship, will be music to the Gunners faithful’s ears.
Havertz said: “I know what kind of vision Raheem has, he loves to place these balls,” after the former England star set him up to score in a Premier League match back in 2022.
The German international also hailed Sterling’s influence after a tense game with Leicester City, where the winger’s first goals for Chelsea proved to be decisive in securing the win.
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Havertz explained: “We needed goals, he scored two goals in the end and that’s the most important thing. In the end, I think he did well and he helped us a lot today.
“It is very exciting [having a player like that around]. We have played four games and he has shown his quality today again.
“Sometimes it takes a bit of time to adapt 100 per-cent, but he has adapted very fast and we can build on that in the future. We are all delighted for him. You can see in every training session how much work and effort he puts in, and he just deserves it.
“It is nice to play with him. He has a lot of experience and knows how to move, and it helps you a lot if you have such experienced players next to you. His style of play suits us very well.”
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Havertz’s words clearly show how highly he rates Sterling and his belief that the winger will improve Arsenal’s squad as they look to win their first title in over 20 years. Mikel Arteta had been rumoured to be in the market for a forward throughout the summer, but a deal for an out-and-out striker never came to fruition.
Instead, Sterling – a versatile forward capable of playing across all three front positions – was brought in. Whether Havertz will get to enjoy the same on-pitch chemistry he had with Sterling at Chelsea remains uncertain, with the latter facing competition from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard for a regular spot in the team.
Arteta will be hopeful of getting the best out of Sterling, having worked closely with him at City under Pep Guardiola. Arsenal’s match against Brighton came too soon for their deadline day signing – but he could have an opportunity to feature for the first time at his new club in two weeks’ time when the Gunners travel to fierce rivals Tottenham.
