“I love him more than Saka and Declan Rice”- Mikel Arteta says £220k-p/w Arsenal star is just a joy to work it as he promised the player a start against Burnley tomorrow

“I love him more than Saka and Declan Rice”- Mikel Arteta says £220k-p/w Arsenal star is just a joy to work it as he promised the player a start against Burnley tomorrow

‘I love him’…Mikel Arteta says £220k-a-week Arsenal player is just a ‘joy to work with’

Mikel Arteta has been singing the praises of a number of his Arsenal players ahead of the clash with Burnley this weekend.

The Gunners go into the game off the back off two massive wins over both Liverpool and West Ham and are now looking to kick on as the season enters a crucial period.

For Arsenal, some of their big players are now stepping up. Declan Rice has been outstanding in recent weeks, justifying his summer fee.

But another summer signing, Kai Havertz, has also been playing better and better.

And speaking about the £220k-a-week forward in his press conference, Mikel Arteta has said that he is a player he just loves working with.

Mikel Arteta praises Kai Havertz

Speaking about the German, who has had his critics from Arsenal fans this season, Arteta admitted that Havertz is a player everyone in the squad loves being around.

“I love him. I love him. I think we all love him as a player as a person, everything that he brings to the team. There are two or three moments the other day with 4,5,6-0 and how he tracks people and how he’s defending the box and then how he’s attacking the box. The position that he’s constantly threatening the opponent’s box as well that I really like and you ask him to play as a nine, as a right attacking midfielder, left attacking midfielder, on the base defending and he does it. He’s just a joy to work with,” Arteta said.

Showing his worth
The narrative around Kai Havertz this season has been a bit harsh at times this season. Sure, he hasn’t scored the goals or produced in big moments like some expected.

But as the season has ticked along, Havertz has been a player who has gradually exerted his influence on proceedings in the Arsenal first-team.

Havertz is now a player who is picked almost weekly in the starting XI and there is a big reason why Arteta does that.

With the last few months of the season now coming up, Havertz will play a big role and you wouldn’t bet against him scoring the odd huge goal as the season winds down.