Alan Smith claims the Arsenal player can outperform Xhaka because of his technical ability

Former Arsenal player Alan Smith has asserted that the club’s summer acquisition Kai Havertz may be a superior player to Granit Xhaka.

Smith claimed that Havertz, who switched from Premier League foe Chelsea to Arsenal, is a much more technical player than Xhaka.

Recall that Xhaka transferred from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga during the summer transfer window for a rumoured cost of €15 million.

The 2022–2023 Premier League season saw the Switzerland international make 37 appearances for Arsenal, with seven goals and seven assists.

Havertz, who this year has reportedly assumed the Xhaka role for Mikel Arteta’s team, has failed to settle in at the North London club.

Despite starting all four of Arsenal’s games this season, the Germany international has yet to contribute to a goal in the Premier League.

Smith has since come out in support of Havertz, saying (via TBR): “I’m not suggesting 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, and I think he can be a good player for us,” said Arteta. “I heard him say he wants to be getting himself in the box at the end of things, kind of like Xhaka did last season.”

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