10 months ago
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talkSPORT pundit Graeme Souness has hit out at Arsenal for splashing big money on Kai Havertz despite having a perfect player already.
Mikel Arteta had made Havertz a top target in the summer transfer window and Arsenal signed him from Chelsea for £65million.
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However, the Germany international has largely failed to impress and has scored five times in 29 appearances.
Meanwhile, Emile Smith Rowe has largely been sidelined by Arteta, though he did suffer a knee injury in November.
Speaking to Simon Jordan for talkSPORT, former Liverpool star Souness was left gobsmacked by Arsenal's decision to sign Havertz when the money was needed elsewhere.
He said: "Smith Rowe? I like him. As a midfield player running into the box, clever passes, everything seems to be done when he is sprinting which I like. Goal threat.
"Then you go spend £60million, Arteta. So the point I want to make is that £60m, I think is a fair criticism, you've spent…
"You know what I am on about, building a football team, you try to strengthen the weakest part of your team.
"I think for most people, Arsenal needed another striker with [Gabriel] Jesus.
"So you go and take Kai Havertz from Chelsea for big money when really you've got a homegrown player that is every bit as good as him.
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"So that £60m should have been maybe directed towards a striker and that might cost them, a different kind of striker.
"We were talking about [Ivan] Toney. When you are buying a player, you are trying to eliminate the problem. Why would he not be successful here.
Graeme Souness and Simon Jordan criticise Kai Havertz's impact at Arsenal and question why they didn't buy a better striker in the summer
"So if he is a foreigner, will he deal with a different culture, will his family deal with that, will he pick up the language quick enough, will be able to deal with the intensity of the English game?
"So you try and take out one of them."
Smith Rowe has been linked with a move away from Arsenal as a result of his lack of appearances, having played just 12 times this season.
The Gunners, meanwhile, have toiled somewhat in recent weeks with a lack of firepower.
Jesus has had injury problems while Eddie Nketiah has scored just five times in the Premier League and there have been links to Brentford's Toney.
However, Arteta is struggling to find the funds to make a move for the England international, who is set to return to action after serving an eight-month ban for gambling.
