Arsenal’s injury crisis has worsened, with the north Londoner suffering another blow this time regarding striker Kai Havertz. The former Chelsea player has endured fitness struggles over the past year, having missed a significant portion of last season with a serious hamstring problem. This season, Havertz was meant to compete with Victor Gokeres for the central striker position, but early in the season he complained of knee pain and was ruled out.
The forward was expected to return shortly after the November international break, which would be perfect timing for the Gunners. Gokeres’ injury and Gabriel Jesus’ long-term knee problem have left Mikel Arteta relying on Mikel Merino as his main attacking option, although their fitness is still being assessed.
Havertz may have provided a solution to that dilemma, but it looks like the Arsenal star faces further recovery time.
German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed renewed concerns about the 26-year-old Kai in a recent press conference, saying: “Kai has experienced a mild relapse, but overall he is doing well.”
He went on to suggest that Havertz is likely to return “around the end of the calendar year.”
Havertz was unable to achieve full fitness in time to represent his country in the latest World Cup qualifiers, where Germany had secured a spot in next summer’s tournament.
Nagelsmann expressed his support for Havertz and the other injured stars, saying they will have plenty of time to recover as the next international break ends in March.
This comes after Gabriel Magalhães was injured while playing for Brazil, with reports suggesting the defender could be out for one to two months with a thigh problem.
As a result, the player is almost certain to miss this weekend’s north London derby against Tottenham.
In addition, there are allegations against Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and striker duo Gokeres and Jesus.
Despite a busy summer transfer window, Arsenal’s depth in the squad will no doubt be put to the test in the coming weeks.
The Gunners will be able to get off to a good start if they can get through games against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea in good form.
