Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard have struck up an inseparable bond at Arsenal, one built on footballing chemistry, fatherhood and wives who are best friends, and it is powering the strongest of starts for the reigning Premier League champions.
In all competitions this term, Arsenal have scored ten goals, with Havertz and Odegaard responsible for seven of them. Havertz's dummy fooled Chelsea's backline on Sunday but not Odegaard, who strolled through to collect Christos Tzolis' cross and score.
Most recently, Odegaard rescued a victory away at Napoli on Wednesday night in the Champions League after an impressive Gunners display was not matched by their finishing, with their expected goals tally exceeding four. As Tzolis' pass reached him just outside the area, the Norwegian drove forward on his left foot and, once he saw a gap, curled the ball with pace and precision into the bottom-left corner. It made four goals in five matches for the captain.
A tough start turned around
Odegaard and Havertz's recent form has been helped by their bond off the pitch, with the pair behaving more like brothers than colleagues. After joining Arsenal from Chelsea for £65 million in June 2023, Havertz initially endured a tough time in north London.
The left-sided midfield role manager Mikel Arteta had earmarked for the German proved a mismatch, and Havertz struggled to adapt. The nadir came amid widespread groans at the Emirates Stadium during a 3-1 win over Manchester United, in which he lost the ball in the build-up to Marcus Rashford's opener.
He was not scoring either, enduring a nine-game drought that ended against Bournemouth in September 2023, after Odegaard grabbed the ball to gift his team-mate a penalty. Havertz rolled it home for his first Arsenal goal. The captain made a similar gesture for Viktor Gyokeres against Everton last December, allowing the Swede to take a penalty during a tricky spell in front of goal.
Families growing up together
Odegaard took it upon himself to help Havertz settle. A shy character despite his imposing 6ft 4in frame, the German has benefited from the support of his Norwegian team-mate.
Their wives, Helene Spilling and Sophia Weber, are close, and the couples have holidayed together. Havertz was a groomsman at Odegaard's wedding.
They also became fathers just months apart, at the same age of 25. Odegaard and Helene announced in August 2024 that they were expecting a baby, and their son, Matheo, was born on December 1, 2024. Havertz and Sophia made their announcement in November 2024, before Sophia gave birth in March 2025.
Support through online abuse
It is a running joke around the club how close the pair are, reflecting the qualities of a captain said to be the glue between his team-mates.
When Sophia was subjected to horrific abuse on Instagram, including threats against their unborn child, after Havertz had a penalty saved in an FA Cup defeat by Manchester United in January 2025, Odegaard stayed in close contact with Havertz and supported the family through it.
The captain's role behind the scenes
Odegaard was the first player to text Havertz when he joined the club, and he has done the same for others including Gyokeres and Mikel Merino, offering advice on where to live, restaurant recommendations and an open door whenever help is needed. He is also known to ring players going through a tough period to check in on them.
Last season, even when he was not playing because of injury, the role Odegaard played behind the scenes was highly valued by Arteta and his staff. He was said to be busy around the training ground and on matchdays, organising details such as timings and gathering players' preferences on rest to pass on to staff.
Overcoming injury setbacks
Both players faced their share of adversity last season and are now determined to make up for lost time. Havertz suffered a knee injury on the opening day of the last campaign in August, which kept him out for five months, before further muscle issues later in the season.
Odegaard, meanwhile, suffered a shoulder injury in September 2025, a knee issue in October, and further problems from March onwards. He scored just one goal in all competitions last season, showing how stark the drop-off was and making his recent form all the more striking.
Both players have become central figures in Arteta's Arsenal, and with both fit, confident and scoring again, their understanding could prove decisive in the club's pursuit of more silverware.
