Arsenal forward Kai Havertz is set to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season after sustaining a hamstring injury during the team’s training camp in Dubai.
The 25-year-old’s injury leaves the Gunners without a recognised striker, compounding the team’s injury woes. The Athletic initially reported that Havertz suffered a torn hamstring, with sources close to the player anticipating surgery following his return to London on Tuesday.
Arsenal has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but manager Mikel Arteta is expected to address Havertz’s condition during Friday’s press conference ahead of their Premier League clash with Leicester City.
Havertz’s absence adds to an already depleted Arsenal frontline. Striker Gabriel Jesus is sidelined after ACL surgery, Bukayo Saka is recovering from hamstring surgery sustained in December, and Gabriel Martinelli is out for over a month after injuring his hamstring in the recent Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle.
Havertz has been a key figure for Arsenal this season, scoring 15 goals and providing five assists in 34 appearances across all competitions. His injury exacerbates Arteta’s challenges, particularly after Arsenal’s inability to secure attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window. The club’s bid for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins was rejected, leaving Arteta “disappointed” by the lack of transfer activity.
Rumours linking them to Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, Wolves’ Matheus Cunha, Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Brighton’s Evan Ferguson went nowhere.
Criticism had already been levelled at Arsenal even before these injury problems with many pundits and fans suggesting they needed a striker to maintain hopes of competing for a trophy.
Arteta said last week that Havertz might have to start every game for the rest of the season, adding that his other options to play in the position would be wingers Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal flew out for warm-weather training last Thursday after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in the semi-final. They were not involved in this weekend’s FA Cup fixtures following their third-round defeat by Manchester United.
Last season, after a similar break, Arsenal went on to win 16 of their next 18 games.
They currently sit second in the Premier League, six points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.