The Scout is identifying players who could improve on last season's displays and have an even bigger impact when 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League begins.
Kai Havertz (Arsenal) £8.0m
The German's displays in the second half of 2023/24 indicate he can finally establish himself as a key figure in Fantasy this season.
Havertz struggled for form after arriving at Arsenal from Chelsea last summer, scoring four goals and supplying an assist over his first 19 appearances for the Gunners.
But he was transformed following the club’s winter break, with his output playing a major part in Arsenal’s title battle with champions Manchester City.
Havertz combined nine goals with nine assists to collect a team-high 128 points from Gameweek 21 onwards. Indeed, he placed third among all players in Fantasy in that period, surpassed only by Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, who produced 152 points and 134 points respectively.
Importantly, Havertz has now been reclassified from a midfielder to a forward due to his role up front for Mikel Arteta’s side.
This obviously impacts on his Fantasy appeal, as midfielders earn five points for each goal they score compared with the four of forwards. They also collect one point for every clean sheet their team collects, whereas forwards are not rewarded.
But comparing Havertz to the best players for goal involvement (goals and assists) in the second half of the season certainly shows his potential.
His total of 18 goal involvements was second only to the 22 of Palmer - the top-scoring player in Fantasy - who delivered 14 goals and eight assists from Gameweek 21 onwards.
Notably, Havertz’s output was similar to the best-performing forwards. Ollie Watkins and Jean-Philippe Mateta were only one behind on 17 goal involvements, while Erling Haaland (£15.0m) and Alexander Isak were each involved in 16 goals.
Havertz's all-round quality is underlined by his nine assists, second only to the 10 of Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne in that spell.
Top players for goal involvement, GW21-38
| Player | Goal involvement | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer | 22 | 14 | 8 |
| Havertz | 18 | 9 | 9 |
| Mateta | 17 | 14 | 3 |
| Watkins | 17 | 10 | 7 |
| Foden | 16 | 14 | 2 |
| Haaland | 16 | 13 | 3 |
| Isak | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| Saka | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| De Bruyne | 14 | 4 | 10 |
| Gordon | 14 | 5 | 9 |
What do the underlying statistics tell us?
By assessing Havertz’s performances against his early-season displays, it is apparent that his potential for both goals and assists improved.
Indeed, his total number of big chances, shots in the box and key passes all virtually DOUBLED.
Havertz had 16 big chances from Gameweek 21 onwards, up from only eight beforehand, with his shots in the box rising from 22 to 40.
The biggest improvement, though, was his shooting accuracy. After managing a mere four shots on target in the opening 20 Gameweeks, Havertz proceeded to have 24 such attempts over the remainder of the campaign.
His upturn in creativity meant that Havertz was involved in 35 per cent of Arsenal's goals after their winter break - prior to that he had played a part in only 19 per cent when selected.
Havertz's 2023/24 season contribution
| Statistic | GW1-20 | GW21-38 |
|---|---|---|
| Mins per shot | 47.7 | 33.3 |
| Shots in box | 22 | 40 |
| Big chances | 8 | 16 |
| Shots on target | 4 | 24 |
| Key passes | 16 | 30 |
| Goal involvement | 19% | 35% |
How Havertz compared with other attackers
Assessed against his team-mates, Havertz’s numbers show he was the focal point of Arsenal’s attack in the second half of 2023/24.
His 16 big chances and 24 shots on target both placed first, while his 40 shots in the box and goal conversion rate of 20.5 per cent ranked second.
Arsenal's top players for goal threat, GW21-38
| Statistic | Havertz | Saka | Trossard | Martinelli |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots in box | 40 | 42 | 29 | 22 |
| Big chances | 16 | 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Shots on target | 24 | 18 | 15 | 9 |
| Goal conversion | 20.5% | 16.9% | 24.3% | 16.0% |
The burden of creativity was more on the shoulders of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, who made 58 and 41 key passes respectively.
Havertz’s 30 key passes sat fourth, just behind the 32 of Declan Rice, with the duo claiming joint-second for big chances created on seven each.
Arsenal's top players for creativity, GW21-38
| Player | Key passes | Big chances created |
|---|---|---|
| Odegaard | 58 | 10 |
| Saka | 41 | 5 |
| Rice | 32 | 7 |
| Havertz | 30 | 7 |
Comparing Havertz to other midfielders and forwards in Fantasy in this period highlights his major all-round threat.
Havertz's 40 shots in the box ranked fourth among midfielders and was also surpassed by just three forwards. Meanwhile, his 24 shots on target would have earned him a top three spot in either position.
Although his 24 key passes and seven big chances fared less well against midfielders, Havertz would have claimed first place for each statistic if he was a forward.
His all-round style of play is even more impressive when looking only at the big-chance involvement numbers.
Havertz's total of 23 was joint-second with Chelsea’s Palmer among midfielders, just behind the 24 of Tottenham Hotspur's Brennan Johnson.
Haaland and Isak were the only forwards to better Havertz, with 29 and 26 big chance involvements respectively. The Arsenal star just edged the 22 of Aston Villa's Watkins, who finished as the top-scoring forward last season on 228 points.
Havertz vs midfielders and forwards, GW21-38
| Statistic | Total | Midfield rank | Forward rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shots in box | 40 | 4 | 4 |
| Big chances | 16 | =1 | =5 |
| Shots on target | 24 | 3 | =2 |
| Key passes | 30 | =24 | 1 |
| Big chances | 7 | =10 | 1 |
| Big chance involvement | 23 | =2 | 3 |
There seems little doubt that Havertz will be even more important to Arsenal when the season gets under way.
Crucially, his output is backed up by the underlying numbers, making Havertz one of the most attacking players in the Premier League.
After finishing last season with a career-high of 180 points, Havertz's potential for goals and assists means he looks well on course to smash his personal best again if he can maintain his late momentum of 2023/24.