Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of Kai Havertz, after the German forward picked up a knee injury that could sideline him for a spell. Havertz came off the bench in Arsenal’s win at Old Trafford on Sunday but was absent from training at the Emirates on Wednesday, sparking fears that he may be out longer than expected. While early signs suggest the issue is not extremely serious, the club are preparing for the possibility that he could miss a significant stretch of games.
The timing couldn’t be more difficult for Mikel Arteta. With Gabriel Jesus still sidelined by his own knee injury, Arsenal suddenly find themselves short in attack, leaving new signing Viktor Gyökeres as the only recognized striker available. Arteta has options within the squad, such as pushing midfielders into more advanced roles, but none offer the same profile as Havertz.
The Gunners have been linked with attacking reinforcements before, most notably Eberechi Eze, but the Crystal Palace star is now edging closer to Tottenham. Arsenal must now decide whether to enter the market again, having already spent close to £200m on six new signings this summer. Bringing in another striker could provide much-needed cover, especially if Havertz is out for an extended period.
Last season, Mikel Merino stepped up impressively when Havertz missed 18 matches with a hamstring problem, scoring seven goals between February and May. Arteta has shown faith in Havertz despite the big-money arrival of Gyökeres, recently insisting that the German “still has a huge role to play” given his understanding of the system and his proven track record in both the Premier League and Europe.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are also looking to offload several fringe players before the transfer window shuts. Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko are attracting interest from Porto, while Serie A clubs are also monitoring Kiwior’s situation.
The big question now is whether Arsenal gamble on riding out Havertz’s absence or dive back into the market for another No. 9.
The Tactical Journal 
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