Joe Cole: Chelsea Should Not Have Let Havertz Go, Look at How Much They Spent on Strikers Afterwards

After Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Chelsea, Joe Cole criticized his former club for selling Kai Havertz to direct rivals Arsenal. He believes Chelsea should not have allowed a player capable of becoming a world-class talent to join a title challenger, and said such situations must stop happening.

In 2023, Arsenal signed Havertz from Chelsea for £65 million. Because the German player's performances at Stamford Bridge had been inconsistent during his previous three seasons, the transfer was questioned by many at the time.

Joe Cole said on a Premier League program: "I think if your club has Kai Havertz, you see him train every day and watch him play week after week. Managers and head coaches come and go, but what about the sporting director? Look at how much money the club has spent on the striker position since they let Havertz leave."

"This really is not good enough, and I think this kind of thing has to stop happening. It happened when Kevin De Bruyne left, and now it has happened with Havertz. This kind of transfer would not have happened when Sir Alex Ferguson was managing Manchester United, nor when Arsene Wenger was managing Arsenal. When have you ever heard of them letting a player go, then that player joining a direct rival and developing into a world-class player?"