“The skipper, Martin (Odegaard),” Havertz responded. “I remember I was on holiday when I signed and he just dropped me a message 10 minutes after the news came out and just said ‘whatever you need, just give me a shout’.
“He’s a top guy, and a very good friend.”
Kai Havertz of Arsenal celebrates with teammate Martin Oedegaard after scoring the team’s third goal from a penalty during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on September 30, 2023. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)
Odegaard also helped Havertz to settle in on the pitch, handing him a penalty early on in his Arsenal career to get him on the scoresheet.
Having already scored one penalty earlier in the game, Odegaard was the obvious choice to take Arsenal’s second spot-kick against Bournemouth in September.
But the Arsenal captain handed the responsibility to Havertz, before shoving his teammate over to the Gunners fans to receive their applause.
That penalty was Havertz’s first goal contribution in an Arsenal shirt, but he’s since gone on to add 19 more, including eight goals and six assists in the last 13 league games.
That’s been a vital boost for Arsenal in the Premier League run-in, with Havertz scoring a dramatic late winner against Brentford, scoring and assisting in the 3-2 win over Spurs, and assisting the winner against Manchester United, among his other contributions.
Odegaard should take some credit for starting Havertz down that path, which is exactly what you want from your club captain.
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