A much-anticipated homecoming for Kai Havertz at Bayer Leverkusen has been long overdue.
The academy product departed Germany just under six years ago, during a period when the world was considerably different. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, with football only resuming behind closed doors, Leverkusen’s burgeoning talent made his move to Chelsea in September 2020.
It was a landmark transfer. Havertz was recognized as one of Europe’s most exciting prospects in the latter half of the 2010s — a fact Leverkusen was keenly aware of. The now 55-time Germany international had completed four full seasons with their senior squad before celebrating his 21st birthday that June. He achieved the distinction of being the youngest player to reach 100 Bundesliga appearances at 20 years, six months, and four days old.
Simon Rolfes, Leverkusen’s managing director of sport, credited that transfer, valued at up to £90 million ($113.8m), as instrumental in restructuring the squad, which subsequently led to their 2023-24 Bundesliga title triumph.
The former Leverkusen midfielder briefly reconnected with Havertz at a summer 2024 pre-season friendly in London. Before the Round of 16 draw, he expressed his desire for his team to be drawn against Arsenal to see Havertz again. The 44-year-old’s wish was granted, and he will now observe as the 26-year-old strives to make a more direct contribution to Arsenal’s aspirations of securing their first major trophy since that behind-closed-doors FA Cup final victory over Chelsea, which occurred a month before Chelsea acquired him.
In his initial years in England with Chelsea, when discussing his and Mason Mount’s respective positions, Havertz told The Athletic: “We drift around a bit, we aim for the left side and the right. We’re like specters for some defenders — it’s not easy to capture us.”
He elaborated on how he honed that particular skill during his pre-match press conference on the eve of the Leverkusen tie. “When I was an academy player, I simply played wherever the coach needed me,” he explained. “Sometimes, of course, that’s beneficial, sometimes it’s not, but honestly, it’s true: for me, I don’t mind; I just want to be a threat in the box, to score goals, to assist players, and I believe that’s also my greatest strength, to have a presence in the box.
“But I’ve also played left-back for the national team, so I don’t think there are many positions left that I haven’t experienced.”
Havertz playing for Leverkusen in 2020 (Martin Meissner/Pool via Getty Images)
It’s a pity that Arsenal has been unable to fully leverage these attributes for much of this season.
Havertz has only accumulated 363 minutes of play (just nine percent of the available time) in 2025-26, sidelined by two knee injuries before Christmas and a minor hamstring issue last month. Despite such limited opportunities, his significance has frequently shone through when he has been on the pitch.
His fourth start of the season came against Mansfield Town away in the FA Cup on Saturday, marking the only occasion where his performance didn’t serve as a clear reminder of what manager Mikel Arteta has been without for 91 percent of the season. His other three starts were against Kairat, Sunderland, and Leeds United. Including substitute appearances, Havertz has now made 10 appearances this campaign, with his most recent contributions proving crucial in securing vital points for Arsenal.
Against Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion, his introduction enabled the Premier League leaders to regain a measure of control in the closing stages, ultimately securing victories. Functioning as an effective target for goalkeeper David Raya’s long balls and shrewd enough to draw fouls to disrupt opponents’ momentum, the contrasting dynamic he offered compared to Viktor Gyokeres was essential and will continue to be over the forthcoming two months.
Arsenal faces a minimum of 12 remaining games this season, potentially extending to 19 if they reach the finals of both the FA Cup and the Champions League.
While recent attention has focused on Arteta’s deployment of Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice (Arsenal’s most and third most-used outfield players this season), skillfully managing Havertz through this period is equally critical. Among the manager’s attacking options, his game is the most well-rounded. Whether operating as a lone striker or as a roaming presence behind the main centre-forward, Havertz possesses the ability to unite a team when required.
“His principal quality is that he somehow improves you (as a team-mate),” Arteta stated in February. “The way he moves, interacts with you, provides information, and roams. He’s a very challenging player to mark, and he creates numerous spaces for his teammates.”
Gabriel Jesus links up effectively with his teammates but lacks Havertz’s physical stature. He remained an unused substitute in two of the three league matches the German missed due to injury last month. While the Brazil international started against third-division Mansfield, during the pivotal top-flight encounters against Chelsea and Brighton, it became evident which forward held Arteta’s confidence.
Since Arsenal recommenced their pursuit of silverware in the 2022-23 season, it has been paramount for players to earn Arteta’s trust for the crucial final stages of the campaign.
Havertz scoring against former club Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-finals (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Havertz demonstrated this in his inaugural year at Arsenal (2023-24), contributing nine goals and seven assists across the final 13 league fixtures. That season, Arteta maintained an unchanged line-up for the concluding five matches, with his squad securing victories in every one.
The strong late-season form of England midfielder Eberechi Eze at his former club Crystal Palace (22 goals in 41 games between March and May for club and country over the past three seasons) could be another encouraging sign for Arteta, though precise timing will be crucial across the board. Eze might now see a consistent run of games in the team, similar to earlier in the season, due to Martin Odegaard’s recent injury concerns. Havertz has made three appearances in a week, but Arteta will be keen to avoid another injury sidelining one of his most influential players.
“For three weeks now, he’s maintained complete consistency in terms of training, preparation, and match minutes,” the Arsenal manager stated ahead of the Leverkusen tie. “And we intend to keep that momentum going because we understand the significant influence Kai can have on this team.
“He went through challenging periods, but that’s why we are here, and all his teammates and family are there. Now, he simply needs to relish all the effort he has invested and look forward to seeing the rewards at the season’s conclusion.”
And what better setting to rekindle that enjoyment than returning to his former home ground? While his previous fans may not cheer him on during the match, this fixture, marking his return a decade after his professional debut for the club, could provide a pivotal moment that ignites even greater accomplishments in the months ahead.