‘HOW CAN YOU SAY HE’S RUBBISH?’: DARREN BENT JUMPS TO ARSENAL PLAYER’S DEFENCE AMID CRITICISM

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has jumped to the defence of Arsenal signing Kai Havertz.

Kai Havertz was being criticised by talkSPORT presenter Andy Goldstein, who described the German as a “rubbish” player, but Bent was not having any of it.

Speaking on the radio station, he said: “I mean, he’s not rubbish. He’s a good footballer. How can you say he’s rubbish? Look at the level he’s playing at. Clearly he’s not rubbish. Look at the level he’s playing at.”

Havertz was big investment for Arsenal after they paid their London rivals Chelsea £65m for his signature.

He started in the Gunners’ Premier League opener last weekend, helping his side to win 2-1 against Nottingham Forest.

Kai Havertz is not a rubbish player

Havertz is far from being a terrible footballer. It is true that he may not be the most prolific forward, managing to score just seven goals in the Premier League last season.

However, he can still play up front and behind the striker, while Mikel Arteta has also used him in a midfield role.

Simply put, the 24-year-old is quite versatile, though his former managers will tell you that the ability to start in different positions is not the only thing he brings to the table.

“The effort is immense,” Thomas Tuchel was quoted as saying by the Daily Miror when discussing Havertz last year. “The work rate is immense, the areas of the pitch he covers for us.”

For a player with his talent and after how much money Arsenal spent on him, Havertz does need to add more goals to his game. But if he is going to be playing in midfield for the Gunners, it is not the only thing he can be judged on.

Whatever the case, it is still early days for the Germany international at the Emirates. With time, perhaps he will end up becoming a very important player for Arteta.