Rice repeat: Arsenal chasing £90m signing who’d make Havertz unplayable.
It would be all right to say that as yet this season, it hasn’t really gone according to plan for Arsenal.
Pretty much everyone thought, from the fans to the pundits, that once again Mikel Arteta’s side would be in a battle for top honours in the Premier League, but at this point, it is six points behind leaders Liverpool, from whom they still have a game in hand.
Although several reasons explain the Gunners’ poor form this season, one of the biggest might be attributed to their stuttering attack that has resulted in the fifth fewest goals being scored in the league thus far.
| Premier League top scorers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Goals Scored | League Position |
| 1 | Chelsea | 37 | 2nd |
| 2 | Tottenham | 36 | 10th |
| 3 | Brentford | 32 | 11th |
| 4 | Liverpool | 31 | 1st |
| 5 | Arsenal | 29 | 3rd |
So, recent reports suggesting the club could pull off a Declan Rice-esque signing for a player who’d help Kai Havertz get even better should excite fans.
Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Liverpool are interested in securing the Ghanaian’s services in 2025.
Unfortunately, the extra competition isn’t the only obstacle the North Londoners will have to overcome to get their man, as the report claims that the Hammers will demand a fee of at least £90m to sell the incredible attacker next month.
It would be a complicated and extraordinarily costly transfer to get over the line, but given Kudus’ unreal ability, it is one well worth pursuing, especially as he could help Havertz get even better.
Why Kudus would be a Rice repeat and make Havertz better
So, first things first, why would signing Kudus next month be a Rice repeat?
Simply put, it would be the second time in just a few years that Arsenal would be spending a massive amount of money to sign arguably West Ham’s best and most important player.
With that said, why would the former Ajax ace be an excellent signing for Havertz? There are two reasons for this, and the first is his output.
While the 24-year-old superstar hasn’t been at his very best this year, racking up four goal involvements in 13 appearances, he was incredible last season.
In just 45 appearances for an Irons side that finished in ninth place, the “sensational” attacker, as dubbed by reporter Kathryn Batte, racked up an outrageously impressive tally of 14 goals and six assists and did so playing across the entire frontline.
| Kudus’ West Ham record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Season | 23/24 | 24/25 |
| Appearances | 45 | 13 |
| Minutes | 3511′ | 934′ |
| Goals | 14 | 2 |
| Assists | 6 | 2 |
| Goal Involvements per Match | 0.44 | 0.30 |
| Minutes per Goal Involvement | 175.55′ | 233.50′ |
| All Stats via Transfermarkt | ||
Therefore, if Arteta was able to get his hands on him next month, he could start him out on the left, safe in the knowledge that he’d be able to both create chances for the German international and put away the chances he’d create for him.
The second reason the Accra-born gem would be a great signing for the former Chelsea ace is related to the first, and that is the space he’d open up for teammates.
Just think about it: at the moment, teams are not particularly afraid of the Gunners’ left-wing options and, as such, they can focus more on stifling those on the right and down the middle.
However, with the unbelievable international barreling down the left wing, opposing defenders would be forced to focus on the North Londoners’ entire frontline, which in turn should open up more space to exploit for the likes of Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
Ultimately, while signing Kudus will be incredibly expensive, his impact on the Gunners’ attack would more than justify the outlay, so Arteta and Co should do what they can to secure his signature before someone else gets there first.
