Lampard: Chelsea Failed to Find Suitable Position for Havertz; Arteta’s Trust Pays Off

On October 2nd, in the second round of the Champions League, Arsenal defeated Paris Saint-Germain 2-0, with Havertz scoring one of the goals. Lampard ultimately admitted a regrettable issue: he felt very sorry about Havertz’s three-year “lost period” at Chelsea. In 2020, Lampard brought the then 21-year-old Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen to Stamford Bridge. However, Havertz’s performance did not meet expectations, leading many fans to question the value of this transfer.

It wasn’t until last summer, when Havertz transferred to Arsenal for a high price of £65 million, that things changed. During his three years at Chelsea, Havertz never managed to find his best form, but after moving to the Emirates Stadium, he quickly found his place, successfully transforming from a midfielder into a forward, becoming an indispensable scoring core for the team.

Speaking about how Havertz was used during his time at Chelsea, Lampard said: “A few years ago, I brought Havertz to Chelsea, and he was still very young then. His role was not clear when he first arrived. Although he is a player of great talent, we didn’t find the most suitable position for him. We tried both midfield and forward roles, but it seemed we couldn’t find the answer.”

Lampard also expressed admiration for current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta: “Arteta’s trust and support for Havertz, as well as consistently giving him playing opportunities, is very commendable. When news of his move to Arsenal broke, some people were still questioning his ability, but I firmly believed in his potential and thought he could improve in the Premier League. Now it seems my judgment was correct.”

Havertz’s performance at Arsenal has indeed been impressive. In just over a season, he has scored 18 goals, including five goals in nine games this season. One of these goals helped the team secure a victory against Paris Saint-Germain. Additionally, he scored a goal in a game against Leicester City, helping the team win 4-2.