LONDON — The first game of the season can sometimes trigger clubs to panic buy in the transfer market as suspected shortcomings are exposed. Instead, Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday offered further evidence of why they have held their nerve until now and could opt against signing the attacking player many at Emirates Stadium have craved over the summer altogether.
Kai Havertz is not supposed to be capable of scoring the type of goal that broke the deadlock after 25 minutes here. Bukayo Saka was given the freedom of north London to pick him out but the cross was sublime and Havertz towered above the Wolves defence to plant a firm header past José Sá.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has admitted that although they knew Havertz could play through the middle, having done so at Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea, Arsenal paid a £67.5 million transfer fee last summer with designs on him playing more regularly in midfield. After a slow start, Havertz made Arsenal click in the No. 9 position in the second half of last season, and he has hit the ground running in this campaign to serve as an indication that a new forward in the final fortnight of the window may not be necessary.
Havertz needed 20 games to score a goal from open play last term. On Saturday he needed 25 minutes.
“It was great, the action [for the first goal],” Arteta said after the match. “It was great delivery, the position we had in the box, the way he attacks the box. Superb. Great goal.
“Every player needs some time to adapt, and get to know everybody — the club, the relationships, the system — but obviously I think he’s gained the confidence and respect of everybody with the way he handled certain situations and with the way he’s performing.”
Arsenal decided to take stock of their options in the market when preferred target Benjamin Sesko chose to sign a new contract to stay at RB Leipzig, removing the €65m release clause in his contract. They remain active on the market and are hoping to add midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad if a fee can be agreed, while Athletic Club winger Nico Williams remains of interest.
It is possible the Gunners could still pursue a move for another attacking player — especially if they can find a new home for Eddie Nketiah or Reiss Nelson — but beating Wolves like this means that discussion can continue in a measured way rather than amid escalating concern triggered by a poor opening weekend.
Wolves were enjoying their best spell of the game when Saka killed them off with 16 minutes left. Cutting in from the right in trademark fashion, Saka thrashed a shot past Sá to mark another typically incisive display.
David Raya had earlier pulled off a sublime one-handed save to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen a first-half equaliser, and the Spain goalkeeper forms part of a trio along with Saka and Declan Rice who deserve credit for starting the domestic campaign in this form barely a month after contesting the Euro 2024 final in Germany.
“First of all, [you think you might need to leave them out],” Arteta said. “You have to really understand where they are, give them space to breathe. Those kids have been through a lot the past two years and played a lot of football, but when you see that willingness, that energy to say, ‘I’m really, really happy to come back,’ and when they come back and you see that that is genuine, it’s a good sign.
“I’m not surprised. That was their mentality straight away after the last game, they said ‘I’m gonna be ready for the first game.’ I spoke to them after the summer, and tried to arrange a plan. They wanted to come back and be here early. They were already getting prepared when they were on holidays. This is the mentality that we need. If players are doing that compromise, it will grow around the team and they will step up the level. That’s what we need.”
There are things for Arteta to work on from here. Arsenal made multiple mistakes playing out from the back and were unable to sustain control in midfield in the second half.
They have time to work on such issues ahead of tricky looking trip to Aston Villa next weekend, though, a fixture they lost last season.
Anything other than a win here and the clamour for that search for answers to extend into the transfer market would have been difficult to resist. For the time being, though, they can pursue a deal for Merino and consider whether a late move for a forward is necessary from a position of strength.
