Arsenal legend Paul Merson has criticised Chelsea midfielder Kai Havertz for looking like Mesut Ozil this season.
The Germany international was withdrawn after 71 minutes of the 2-1 defeat to Wolves, the fifth successive game he has been substituted, after failing to make much of an impact.
The 21-year-old has contributed one goal and one assist in 11 Premier League appearances this season after joining Chelsea in the summer in a deal worth £71m from Bayer Leverkusen.
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“Kai Havertz looks like Mesut Ozil at the moment,” Merson told the Daily Star. “A major talent, but when he loses the ball, he doesn’t try to win it back.
“Ozil used to get major stick because he didn’t always seem interested. But Havertz looks like that sometimes now as well. He looks like he’s out of his depth or doesn’t really want to be here. But you have to remember this is a young player who’s come to a different country.”
Merson added: “I think he’s struggling at the moment and he needs to come off the bench for a few games against tiring teams, get his confidence back.
“He’s had a difficult time here and when he was ill with Covid, Chelsea actually looked better without him. I don’t know why Frank Lampard threw him right back into the team because his confidence looks shot.
“If you spend the amount of money they did on him, you want more than a utility player, so I’m surprised he’s played so many positions. For me he’s a number ten and would work best slipping balls through for Timo Werner, who looks lost on the wing. He will come good in time.”