Kai Havertz will walk into Arsenal's training headquarters on Tuesday morning looking like he hasn't a care in the world.
The reality is quite different. Havertz wouldn't be at the top of his profession without making sacrifices. But it's also true that it can leave those around you wanting more.
Not necessarily because they are disappointed with their production. In fact, Havertz has scored 12 goals this season, just two less than last season. At Chelsea, he scored the winning goal against Manchester City in their Champions League triumph in 2021. However, you will often find Thomas Tuchel wanting to give Havertz a shake-up. Mikel Arteta has also harbored similar sentiments.
During their time together at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel is said to have embarked on a personal crusade to bring out the best in Havertz. Not because he was disappointed with his performances but because the German saw the potential in his compatriot.
“This boy has body, talent and head,” Tuchel said in 2021. “He has everything to play at the highest level.”
Tuchel, behind the scenes, challenged Havertz to show the world what he saw: not just a near-flawless manager but a player with the roar synonymous with the lion on the Chelsea crest on his chest.
Kai Havertz was criticized for his performance in Arsenal's penalty shootout loss to Manchester United.
His former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel recognized his compatriot's abundant talent but wanted more from him.
Havertz scored the winning goal for the Blues against Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League final
But Havertz is naturally laid-back. Quiet and assumed, to a certain extent, shy. You'll be hard-pressed to find a member of the Chelsea or Arsenal staff who has bad things to say about Havertz as a man. “Respectful, thoughtful and sweet,” a source said.
That personality, however, does not always reflect positively on those looking in from the outside. The relaxed person may seem disinterested. Quiet and modest may seem distant.
While Tuchel never saw that kind of negativity, he recognized the problems that natural indifference could pose, so he took it upon himself to unlock the Havertz he believed was within.
“From cold mode to bomb mode was what Tuchel was looking for,” explains a source close to the new England coach. But the struggle of nurture versus nature is generally complex. Havertz, whether you like it or not, is simply not cut from that kind of cloth.
Coincidentally, Arteta also believes strongly in the importance of body language and the messages it can convey. When targets come flying in, one's behavior is not closely scrutinized. When the goals and performances have been exhausted, you better look like you give a damn.
With that in mind, Havertz has become something of a scapegoat for Arsenal's recent problems. Part of that has been brought on by himself. The glaring misses against Newcastle last week in the Carabao Cup semi-final defeat and against Manchester United on Sunday, when the Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup, have infuriated sections of the fan base. Havertz's wife Sophia, who is pregnant, has exposed screenshots of the abuse she received on social media during Ruben Amorim's side's defeat, including hateful posts threatening her unborn child.
Given that Havertz is the team's leading scorer this season, there are probably more targets worthy of the fans' ire.
Chelsea can be a tough school. Havertz is not the only player who has isolated himself within the four walls of Stamford Bridge.
Havertz missed a big opportunity in Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg loss to Newcastle
Mikel Arteta firmly believes in the importance of body language and the messages it can convey.
Mail Sport is told that Mohamed Salah cut a meek figure during his time in west London. To some extent, Kevin De Bruyne was similar. They both left and haven't looked back. Havertz's career at the Emirates has begun with an equally positive trajectory, although so far without the excess of trophies.
There was some apprehension behind the scenes at Arsenal when Arteta insisted the club move for Havertz in the summer of 2023, when it became clear that Chelsea were open to selling him.
Central midfielder? Attacking midfielder? Striker? The talent was clear, but some Emirates figures were not entirely sure where Havertz would fit.
Having already prepared his position to sign Declan Rice for a fee that would surpass the £100m mark, shelling out a further £65m for Havertz, who had hardly set the world on fire during the 2022-23 season, was seen as a high-priced transfer. risk.
But like Tuchel, Arteta saw the promise. After a slow start, Havertz's performance against Newcastle in a 4-1 home win in February led the Arsenal manager to believe he had made it.
The German international was unplayable (physique, technical ability and a goal to boot) and Arteta left the Emirates confident that he had found the number 9 that the team craved.
Later that summer, Arsenal entered into negotiations with the striker's targets insisting that the 25-year-old would start the season in possession of the shirt. Almost 12 months later, it is possible to speculate whether Havertz has the complete game to lead a team seeking the title.
These doubts are valid, but they are not the exclusive responsibility of Havertz; After all, he is a player who was never recognized as a centre-forward until Arteta's attempts to make him one.
The German will continue to play a central role in the team's attack following the injury of Gabriel Jesús.
The clues were there, and the fact that Havertz started his first season at Arsenal in central midfield was one of them. However, you can't argue that Havertz hasn't been productive (26 goals in 67 starts is a decent scoring rate), even though he may not have been a title-winning team.
Havertz has not been helped by the absence of attacking duo Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka for periods this season, nor has his recent form been helped by a winter illness that has affected several players.
However, Havertz will, at least for the time being, continue to play a leading role for Arsenal, particularly with Gabriel Jesus sidelined for an extended period while he undergoes tests to determine the severity of a knee injury suffered in the defeat to United.
Arsenal's worst fears are that Jesus has suffered cartilage or ligament damage, which could raise doubts about whether he will be able to play again this season.
Havertz's peculiar fondness for donkeys lends itself to an obvious and rather unpleasant comparison. But this is no laughing matter for Arsenal or Havertz.
Talk to those who have worked alongside him at both London destinations and they will tell you that there is a mischievous side to the player's personality that we don't see.
Arsenal will be desperate for that demon to explode to the surface as they look to salvage their poor season.