Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has opened up about guiding team-mate Kai Havertz following his challenging start at the club.
After a roller-coaster three years at Chelsea, which saw him win the Champions League but also struggle at the same time, Havertz swapped Stamford Bridge for the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2023. He joined the club in a shocking £65million move at the start of the transfer window.
His first few months in north London were a real struggle, as he initially struggled to get to grips with what his role was under Mikel Arteta. He failed to contribute any goals or assists in his first six league appearances, leaving many questioning his fit within the club.
Despite these initial setbacks, Havertz has since found his form, thriving in a central striking role and becoming a key creator of goals. Jorginho, who had previously played alongside the 25-year-old at Chelsea, shed light on Havertz's turnaround and the support he needed during those tough early days.
"He is just an unbelievable player," Jorginho told Rio Ferdinand on the 'Rio Ferdinand Presents' podcast. "At the beginning, when people were hammering him, I was like, 'What are they talking about? Is this really happening, I can't believe it.' I was like, 'Oh my days'. Actually, I went to Kai a few times, and I was like, 'Kai, don't listen, forget about it, you know what you can do.' This was crazy."
Havertz eventually silenced his critics by ending the season with a tally of 13 goals, including a remarkable run of scoring in four consecutive matches between February and March this year.
Jorginho has been left in awe of his development, particularly his resilience in the Premier League. The Euro 2020 winner added: "Now, he is at a place that is unbelievable.
Kai Havertz celebrating with Jorginho
Havertz has established himself as one of the first names on Arteta's team-sheet (Image: 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
"The confidence that he has, the confidence that he gives the team as well. He is so clever; he puts his body always in the best positions and always has a solution. He finds solutions in situations that you don't believe he's gonna come out of.
"He's just a baller. A big one. He came at the beginning. He was getting kicks and kicks and kicks, and he reacted. Then, next time, he was putting his foot in, getting angry if things weren't going his way. He is just becoming better and better every day." Arsenal are six points away from the current table-toppers, Liverpool, and four points away from second-place Chelsea.
Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel
Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!
By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.
To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!
If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.