Kai Havertz has been installed as Arsenal's first-choice striker by Mikel Arteta, with Viktor Gyokeres having to settle for a place on the bench just a year after the Gunners paid £64million for him

Mikel Arteta has backed Kai Havertz to become a 25 goal-a-season striker for Arsenal. Arteta was glowing about Havertz’s all-round qualities as Arsenal’s centre forward and his character after several injury setbacks.

But Havertz has only managed one season in his career - at first club Bayer Leverkusen - when he has managed 20 goals and has only hit double figures once in the Premier League which was 13 in 2023-24. Since then, Havertz has been hit by injuries but Arteta is convinced he can become more prolific and also prove that he can be a goal scorer as well as valuable member of the attack.

Gunners boss Arteta said: “He has that ability. That is why he is playing there as well, and that is why we signed him. I think he has it, and he needs that volume of games and actions. If you give him that, I am a big believer that yes, he can do it.”

Arteta is a huge fan of Havertz and has clearly backed the Germany striker ahead of Viktor Gyokeres this season. Last season, Havertz struggled with injury but came back for the run-in and helped Arsenal get over the line to win their first Premier League title in 22 years.

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Havertz went to the World Cup and has carried on his form into this season and has managed three goals already as well as providing an assist in the midweek win over Lille in the Champions League. But Arteta revealed that Havertz - who came on as a substitute in midweek as Arsenal rotated for their European tie - came off the pitch frustrated with himself.

Arteta said: “He’s so competitive, Kai. For example, after the game with Lille, he came in and he’d made a massive impact and you could see straight away what he did on the pitch.

“But he left the pitch so upset because he did not score a goal. He was happy to help the team but so upset. That is the character we want: a player who wants to evolve and improve every single day.

”He loves the game, he loves to run, he loves to feel important and loves to feel he can help other players as well. He is a giver and that’s why.

”From a very difficult season, he was out for a long period of time and to get back at the highest level is not easy and it can take time. But Kai has done it almost immediately from pre-season and I’m not surprised because his mentality is top.”

Havertz may actually be under appreciated in the wider football world but Arteta insists the whole dressing room know his qualities for Arsenal. Former Chelsea striker Havertz is a deep thinker and Arteta says his game intelligence and ability to read the game are huge qualities.

Arteta added: “I don’t know what people think is but if you ask anyone in that building, ‘what do you think of Kai?’ The first thing that will be said is something positive, for sure. I don’t have that impression and certainly I value him a lot.

“His football IQ is something else. He understands everything at such speed and he can break down information better probably than anyone else on the team. That’s something that’s not easy to say especially when we talk about a striker.”

Havertz bulked up last season to put on extra muscle and also make himself more resilient as he came back stronger and more determined after two injury disrupted seasons. There was also new competition from Gyokeres but the Sweden striker has quickly found himself behind Havertz in the pecking order which just highlights how highly Arteta rates him.

Incredibly, Arteta has had a miserable recent record at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground - just one win from five visits - and the last two have been two goalless draws.