MIKEL Arteta remains convinced that Kai Havertz will win over the Arsenal fans, and believes that the summer signing should have already scored “a lot of goals” for the Gunners this season.

It would be an understatement to say that supporters were shocked when they discovered Arsenal had agreed to spend £65million luring Havertz away from Chelsea. Three Premier League games in and so far the German international has underwhelmed: no goals, no assists and, perhaps even more crucially, taking pace out of Arsenal’s attack by passing backwards.

Havertz will have the perfect opportunity to silence all the noise this Sunday by putting in a performance against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

For that to happen, however, Arteta admits that the midfielder, and his new Arsenal teammates, will have to start being more positive.

Speaking after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Fulham, the Gunners boss said: “I saw an action when he [Havertz] played backwards and he could have turned, but that’s one of the things and the demands of everybody, to play forward and to impact the game in the final third because we had the urgency to win it, but no.”

Asked if he was confident Havertz will win the Gooners over, Arteta added: “Yes, I think so. I think he’s already done some really good things and today it was tough for him in certain moments.

“He got in some great areas again and the ball didn’t arrive and he had a lot of situations. He should have already scored a lot of goals this season and that’s the thing that is missing there.”

Meanwhile, with the transfer window closing at 11pm tomorrow (Friday) a number of players are expected to exit the Emirates. Kieran Tierney has already departed, for now at least, after joining LaLiga side Real Sociedad on a season-long loan. There is no option to buy the left-back as part of the deal.

Another full-back, Nuno Tavares, is expected to join Nottingham Forest on loan, while centre-back Rob Holding is said to be weighing up a move to Luton Town. The 27-year-old is also attracting interest from Spanish clubs Real Mallorca and Sevilla.

As the New Journal was going to press, striker Folarin Balogun finalised a permanent move to Monaco that will earn the Gunners a club-record £34m.

Gooners will be happy with the headlines that Arsenal have reportedly knocked back an approach from Chelsea for Emile Smith Rowe. The Blues are said to have made a late bid for the 23-year-old, but the Gunners have no intention of selling the midfielder to a Premier League rival.

Arsenal fans won’t be so happy, though, that Smith Rowe could still leave the club before this transfer window closes as he looks for more game time.