Arteta: Genetically, Kai Havertz is a powerhouse | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has placed full trust in Kai Havertz to lead Arsenal’s attack for the rest of the season, praising the German’s physical resilience and professionalism.

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Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Kai Havertz could be tasked with leading Arsenal’s attack for the remainder of the season after the club failed to sign a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal’s pursuit of a striker failed in January, with their interest in Ollie Watkins ultimately coming to nothing. Now, the burden falls squarely on Havertz, who despite criticism, continues to deliver key contributions in Arsenal’s title push.

The German international, who has scored 15 goals in 33 appearances this season, netted in Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 victory over Manchester City, although his performance was also marked by a glaring open-goal miss. Arteta, however, remains unwavering in his belief in Havertz’s physical and mental attributes.

“Kai has played a lot of football but his robustness and his availability is unbelievable,” Arteta said. “Genetically, he is a powerhouse. He is so well built. He is a player that anything you ask him, he is happy to do: to run, to be very robust, to make long distances. His body absorbs everything.”

With Arsenal still competing on multiple fronts, Havertz’s endurance will be tested. Arteta praised the forward’s meticulous approach to his fitness, describing his professionalism as “immaculate.” He added: “When you see the professional, how he lives his life, it is immaculate. He does more than any other player there. That is not a coincidence. And he is so intelligent. He knows what is good for him and what is not.”

Arsenal face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup tonight, needing to overturn a two-goal deficit to reach the final.