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Arsenal fans won’t believe the prediction Lionel Messi once made about Kai Havertz five years ago

Lucas Arnold

Mon 30 June 2025 18:15, UK

Kai Havertz will be one of several very interested spectators at Arsenal as new sporting director Andrea Berta navigates the transfer window this summer.

By all accounts, Arsenal are determined to sign a striker, one that might steal minutes away from Kai Havertz next term.

Havertz has been a polarising figure at Arsenal since he arrived from Chelsea in 2023.

In 87 appearances for the Gunners, the German has scored 29 goals—a striker who fulfils a lot of Arsenal’s needs, but one who also requires more support.

So, Arsenal have chosen Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig as their preferred target this summer, even if negotiations for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are ongoing as well.

Lionel Messi praised Kai Havertz for his ‘composure’

However, if a prediction made by Lionel Messi about Havertz in 2020 had come true, perhaps Arsenal wouldn’t even be on the hunt for a new number nine.

Over five years ago, when Havertz was still playing for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Messi put the now 26-year-old in his list of 15 ‘youth on the rise’ players.

READ MORE: Ethan Nwaneri just did something with England U21s that should seriously excite Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Messi was making his predictions for and chose Havertz in a list that also included the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden.

When choosing Havertz, Messi made the decision owing to the young Leverkusen forward’s composure when it came to finishing chances.

Messi said: “His composure in front of goal is so impressive for such a young player.”

Whilst Havertz is an effective finisher at times for Arsenal, that might be a hotly-contested statement were it repeated today.

Kai Havertz’s goal ratio is recovering at Arsenal

Havertz was still playing in the Bundesliga with Leverkusen when Messi included him in his list.

Florian Wirtz has joined Liverpool from Leverkusen himself this summer, perhaps hoping for a more seamless journey than his compatriot.

Although Havertz’s goal rate is now somewhat recovering at Arsenal, he hasn’t had it easy since his arrival at Stamford Bridge just under five years ago.

Havertz was criticised at Chelsea and has suffered a similar fate at Arsenal, even if things have improved since Mikel Arteta gave up on the idea of using the 26-year-old as a number eight.

But if Arsenal are able to sign a natural goalscorer to dovetail with Havertz next season, it might help take his game to another level.

Perhaps highlighted by his hamstring injury, Havertz played a serious amount of minutes last term.

With a bit more rotation, perhaps Havertz can still prove Messi right.