By Samuel A. June 28, 2023
Following their stellar season, though it did not end in the way they would have wanted, Arsenal are already making exciting moves in the transfer window this summer. The Gunners have just completed two major signings in Kai Havertz and Declan Rice. Arsenal’s third bid of £105m for Declan Rice is the most expensive British transfer ever. Man City ended interest after having £90m+10m in addons bid rejected by West Ham. Every team that wanted him knew how much he’d cost, after he led the Hammers to an Europa Conference League title last season, their first European trophy since 1965.
The transfer breaks down as an £100m initial fee plus £5m in performance related add-ons. The structure of the payments are still being discussed between the two clubs, with Arsenal looking to pay £100m over four installments. They had two initial bids rejected by the Hammers – a £90m bid comprising a £75m fee and £15m in add-ons and an opening offer somewhere around £80m plus add-ons.
Mikel Arteta, who mostly relied on Thomas Partey, who was injured for some of the most important part of the season, Granit Xhaka, who is on his way to Bayer Leverkusen this summer, and Martin Odegaard as his midfielders last season, has been keen on strengthening that area of the field. He looks to have got his No 1 target.
On the other hand, the Gunners have completed a £65m deal to sign Kai Havertz from Chelsea on an unspecified long term contract, days prior to the Declan Rice signature. Havertz ‘agreement with the Emirates will spell the end of a three season stint at Chelsea. The 24 year old secured his place in Blues history by scoring the goal that won them a second Champions League crown in 2021.
Chelsea signed Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 for £75m but were looking to recoup a substantial portion of what they paid after an indifferent last campaign at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are understood to be satisfied with the deal as Havertz, who had two years remaining on his Blues contract, had made it clear he wanted to leave the club.
Havertz was often deployed as a frontman at Stamford Bridge but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, speaking to the club website when announcing his arrival, suggested the Germany international’s place at the Emirates Stadium would lie in midfield. “Kai is a player of top quality,” said Arteta. “He has great versatility and is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield and variety to our play. We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”
Sources close to Black Sports Live reports that Arsenal are also on the verge of completing a deal for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, and are looking to seal the deal by next week.
