Kai Havertz and his Arsenal teammates during pre-season (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has denied saying Gunners forward Kai Havertz needs to bulk up when asked by reporters.
Arteta held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss a range of topics ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final match against Chelsea.
Havertz could be in contention to face his former club at Stamford Bridge, but the Germany international has just returned from a lengthy injury and is unlikely to return to the starting XI anytime soon.
However, Havertz was able to feature on the bench in Arsenal’s FA Cup win over Portsmouth at the weekend.
Asked about Havertz’s fitness, Arteta responded to claims he had asked the 26-year-old to “put on weight”.
Mikel Arteta clarifies comments about Kai Havertz
Watch the video clip above where Arteta takes issue with the reporter’s language and suggests he was misquoted.
Instead, the Spanish tactician simply explained that he wants Havertz to improve in a number of areas, due to the fact that a long injury absence would affect his overall performance…
“Did you do that?” Arteta said when told he had asked Havertz to bulk up.
“It’s stronger, but I don’t think I use that word for emphasis…
“Being stronger in all areas means that when someone gets injured, they have to come back stronger in certain areas. People are going to be weaker because they don’t train, they don’t have rhythm, they don’t have the ability to maintain certain movements.
“We have to become stronger in other areas as well.”
Kai Havertz returns at the right time for Arsenal
Arsenal fans will be relieved to have Havertz back to fitness after a difficult first half of the season for summer signing Viktor Gokeres.
Fully fit and confident, Havertz should be an upgrade from the Sweden international, who has had a disappointing run since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in the summer.
At least it will give Arteta rotation options during this busy period, with Arsenal set to face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup immediately after the FA Cup game, with further fixtures in both the Premier League and Champions League on the horizon.
