But this is not to say that Havertz, now 24, is happy with his lot. He wants more and, as he returns to Porto’s Estadio do Dragao — the scene of his finest victory — he does so with an Arsenal team who have genuine ambitions of winning this season’s Champions League.
Only time will tell whether Mikel Arteta’s players have what it takes to go all the way. They will need luck, on the pitch and with injuries, and they will need to show their quality on a consistent basis, starting with Wednesday’s last-16 first leg in Portugal.
One thing is certain, though. If Arsenal are to achieve their European goals this season, Havertz will play a key role in that adventure. We know this because he has played a key role in every aspect of Arsenal’s campaign so far, and because Arteta is more convinced than ever that his Havertz project will ultimately work.
“I love him,” the Arsenal manager said of Havertz last week. “We all love him, as a player, as a person, for everything that he brings. He is a joy to work with.”
Has Arteta spoken to Havertz about his Champions League-winning goal? “I have not,” he said on Tuesday night. “But obviously it is a conversation that has been going on for a few days. It is probably the biggest highlight of his career, an incredible moment.”
Havertz’s difficulties at the start of his Arsenal career, following his move from Chelsea, were well-publicised. The spotlight was bright and punishing, and it was not an easy time for a player who is among the more self-reflective in Arsenal’s squad. Havertz would have heard the grumbles. He would have seen the criticism.
Those doubters have gradually been silenced in the months that have followed. Havertz’s progress has not been spectacular but it has been steady, and it has been real. Regular observers of Arsenal can see that he is growing in stature and confidence. They can see the player he is becoming.
The latest sign of Havertz’s development came in Saturday’s thrashing of Burnley, when he scored Arsenal’s fifth goal. It was a delicious finish, the sort of goal one would expect from a player who cost £65 million.