Darren Bent: Struggling Chelsea star 'would look better' at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta

10/03/2024 03:35 AM

Darren Bent believes Mykhailo Mudryk would be in a better situation under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal than he is at Chelsea.

Mudryk has struggled to make an impact at Chelsea since arriving in an £89 million deal from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.

The Ukraine international has played just 81 minutes across three appearances in the Premier League this season and is facing an uphill battle in securing a place in Enzo Maresca’s side.

Mudryk had attracted strong interest from Arsenal before he opted to join Chelsea and Bent feels the winger made a mistake by not opting to link up with Arteta.

‘I do think under Arteta’s guidance that players would look better,’ Bent told talkSPORT.

‘A prime example – Mudryk. If he had come to Arsenal, he would look better than he does now.

‘Now he’s way off it, he’s completely off it. He’s at a club where players have bypassed him, there’s no clear structure for him.

‘If he goes to Arsenal with a plan that’s clear, that’s half the battle.

‘But with Timo Werner, he’s got all the pace in the world but he doesn’t utilise it, runs offside too often, when he uses his pace to get into good opportunities he doesn’t take those opportunities as we saw against Manchester United.

‘Whereas Kai Havertz’s brain, he hasn’t got as much pace as Timo Werner but it’s more than enough in terms of being effective than hat Timo Werner is.’

Bent also argued that Kai Havertz is now Arsenal’s most important player under Arteta and feels the Germany international.

‘I was one, and I hold my hands up and say I thought £65 million on Kai Havertz, a guy who previously the season before scored seven goals and got one assist, I said, ‘absolutely not, £65m? Come on’,’ Bent said.

‘But since then he has been given the confidence by Mikel Arteta and he has been to a point where… there’s an argument that he’s Arsenal’s most important player, and that includes [Bukayo] Saka in that as well.

‘Yes, because he can play a number of positions, Saka on that right-hand side, you know I love him, but Kai Havertz can play No.9, can play No.8, comfortable in possession, almost like he has to play, substitutes being made and he doesn’t come off, scores goals, he’s brave.

‘The most league goals he ever got for Chelsea was eight, he scored 13 last season and seven assists, he’s become vital.

‘He just looks a big physical presence and that’s what I like about him as well for Arsenal. Where Arsenal try to play out from the back, there’s times where the press is on and they can’t do it, you can clip the ball to him, he takes it on his chest, wins his header.

‘I think that’s maybe why Arsenal are reluctant to sign a centre forward because I just think Mikel Arteta understands how good he can be.

‘And I think he can be a 15-20 goal a season player, I really do. But the thing his his ability is not limited to scoring goals, he can do everything.

‘I think a huge credit has to go to Arteta and a huge credit goes to himself. When he came to Arsenal everyone was giving him stick, they gave him that ‘competition winner’ penalty against Bournemouth, they made him take it. But since then… clearly he’s got real, strong self-belief, his teammates clearly believe in him, the manager has believed in him, all Arsenal fans now believe in him.

‘I think he’s been absolutely superb, but if he gets an injury then you go, ‘oh my goodness’. Gabriel Jesus is fit now and he can’t get anywhere near the team. I think if everyone’s fit he’s [Havertz] our No.9.’

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