"It wasn't easy" - Arsenal star admits struggles amid 'best tactician' Mikel Arteta claims

Kai Havertz has praised Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta as the “best tactician” he has ever worked with after an impressive debut season with the Gunners.

Havertz scored nine goals in the final four months of the season, excelling in a forward role. Arsenal have been linked with Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, with LondonWorld reporting that Sesko is a priority target for Arteta this summer.

The German international faced criticism in the early months of his time in north London, struggling to make an impact on the pitch—a challenge he is proud to have overcome.

“It wasn't easy at Arsenal at the beginning either,” Havertz told Welt am Sonntag. “The Chelsea fans were angry that I left, and the Arsenal fans weren't that enthusiastic either because things weren't going so well at the start. You gain strength when the coach, your teammates, and the people close to you stand by and support you.”

“Trust is a big word—I'm cautious about that. It isn't easy for me to trust people. I feel like I have one friend outside of football; otherwise, there aren't many people I let get close to me. But I can differentiate quite well between those who are serious about me and those who only want something from me when things are going well.”

Speaking about Arteta, the 24-year-old highlighted the Spaniard’s attention to finer details as a key factor in his success.

“He [Arteta] is an outstanding person with whom I can talk about anything. His door is always open to each of us. He encourages us to discuss our problems and worries with him. That's one thing.

“As far as his role as a club coach goes, I have never had anyone better in terms of tactics. He gives you tasks down to the last detail and presents solutions for what is about to happen on the pitch.

“This is particularly noticeable with regard to our young team at Arsenal because not every young team has such a perfect structure as we do. It's incredible to see how Arsenal has developed under him in four years.”