Transfer: Can he play Xhaka’s position – Gibbs questions Mikel Arteta over Arsenal’s new signing

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Transfer: Can he play Xhaka’s position – Gibbs questions Mikel Arteta over Arsenal’s new signing

Former Arsenal defender, Kieran Gibbs has questioned manager Mikel Arteta’s plan for his new £70 million signing Kai Havertz.

Gibbs questioned Arteta if Havertz is physical enough to play in Granit Xhaka’s position at Arsenal.

Xhaka, who plays midfield, has all but agreed to join Bayer Leverkusen from Arsenal this summer.

Havertz, meanwhile, completed his move to Arsenal from Chelsea earlier on Wednesday.

Speaking on the development, Gibbs fears Havertz lacks the physicality and technical ability to flourish in the heat of a Premier League midfield battle.

“I don’t know with this one, I would love to know what Havertz is thinking himself,” Gibbs told ESPN FC.

“That role he is going to play is basically a replacement for Xhaka, and that is where I think Mikel sees him.

“The Havertz we have seen before, we have just not seen it. I don’t know if he is physical enough to be in there, I don’t know if he has the ability to use his body in situations to get out of trouble or the technical ability to play in tight areas.”