‘He’s technical’, Alan Smith suggests Arsenal star can be better than Xhaka

Former Arsenal player, Alan Smith, has suggested that summer signing Kai Havertz could be a better player than the club’s former midfielder Granit Xhaka

Smith said that Havertz, who joined Arsenal from Premier League rival Chelsea, is a very technical player when compared to Xhaka.

Recall that Xhaka left Arsenal over the summer transfer window to join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of €15 million.


The Switzerland international scored seven goals and registered seven assists from 37 Premier League appearances in the 2022-2023 campaign for Arsenal.

However, Havertz, who has seemingly taken up the Xhaka role this season for Mikel Arteta’s side, is yet to find his feet at the North London club.

The Germany international has failed to record a single goal contribution in the Premier League after starting all four of Arsenal’s matches this season.

But Smith has now backed Havertz, saying (via TBR): “I’m not saying it will take Havertz a season but he is just finding his feet in that squad, in that dressing room and in that first XI.

“I think he is a very good player technically, I think he can be a good player for us and I heard Arteta say he wants to be getting himself in the box at the end of things, a bit like Xhaka did last season.”

He added, “I think Havertz can be better than that as he’s got more of an attacking instinct and he is a good finisher when he gets in those positions.”