Kai Havertz reveals Arsenal’s ultimate target and what the Gunners must do to get it
By Luke Oluoch, August 3, 2026Arsenal attacker Kai Havertz has set his sights on the UEFA Champions League, naming it the ultimate prize the Gunners must target after falling short in recent seasons.
Following manager Mikel Arteta’s historic achievement of ending Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title, the German international believes the English champions are fully equipped to chase European football’s most prestigious trophy.
Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals in the 2024/25 season – losing to Paris Saint-Germain – before making their second-ever final appearance in 2026. However, their campaign ended in heartbreak following a penalty shootout loss in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, July 30, 2026.
Speaking on the club’s ambitions, Havertz made their intentions clear:
“To be fair, I think we want all the trophies. That’s what we’re here for, and I think we missed out on a lot the last couple of seasons. Obviously, we’ve won the Premier League now, but there’s a lot more that we can do, and we have to reach another level to make that happen. We know how long this season is and how difficult it can be. We want to do better again this year and make things happen.”
Havertz acknowledged that maintaining that elite standard will require discipline and improvement across the board.
His comments come amid active transfer window rumours. On Sunday, August 2, 2026, Mikel Arteta reiterated Arsenal’s ambitious recruitment plans for the summer, even as he brushed off speculation regarding the club’s long-rumoured pursuit of Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior.
Speaking in the mixed zone following Saturday’s pre-season win against Girona, the gaffer emphasised that the Gunners, much like their rivals, expect further arrivals in the coming weeks as squad building intensifies ahead of the new season.
Active on transfer
“Well, we are really active, trying to improve and evolve the team. That’s clear. We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously, because we want to get better like anybody else. You can just see the transfer market and our opponents. What we are doing, we won’t sit still, and we are very ambitious in what we want to do,” he said.