Kai Havertz injury and possible return dates for other Arsenal stars

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Arsenal fans received devastating news right after the club’s disappointing January transfer window. Just a week after failing to sign a new striker, the Gunners lost their only remaining senior forward (Kai Havertz) for the rest of the season.

The 25-year-old German International suffered a hamstring injury on Arsenal’s warm-weather training camp trip to Dubai, leaving Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in a crushing wave of injuries which has left them with little experienced attacking options. Kai Havertz’s recent injury adds to their long list of sidelined attackers and could now be possibly the most cruel given the timing and circumstances they find themselves in this season.

Mikel Arteta is keeping all options open after losing Kai Havertz for the rest of the season. They now considering signing a free agent to address their striker shortage and save their challenge this season from the impending damage.

Arsenal was already short on attacking players before Havertz suffered a hamstring injury during the team’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai. The German international was the club’s only senior striker after Gabriel Jesus’s season was ended by a blown knee before the January transfer window. The failure to secure a back-up striker for the club has left the Arsenal boss with a significant dilemma which has raised both concerns and outrage from the fans and supporters.

The club now faces serious regret over how they ended up in this crisis. The lack of signings in January is under scrutiny, but the issue goes beyond that. Arsenal sold Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe and also sent Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson on loan. Now, all four of those players would be crucial for the team. Their absence has left Arsenal’s first-choice front three with an impossible workload, resulting in all of them getting injured.

Since the January transfer window has come to an end, Arteta must now decide how to fill the gap that will eventually threaten their pursuit of the 2024/25 Premier League and Champions League. This could involve using a player out of position or making an unexpected signing. Leandro Trossard who seems more fit played the false 9 position in their win against Leicester City in the weekend. Despite his impressive performances, the team struggled to replicate their finishing executions and signature counters, leaving the obvious need for a possible recruitment.

Chasing Liverpool for the Premier League title was already a difficult task, but now it has become even harder. Liverpool, under Arne Slot, has Mohamed Salah (currently leading the League’s G/A chart) in top form, Cody Gakpo stepping up in big moments, and Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez providing attacking reinforcements. Arsenal on the other hand is quickly running out of attacking options.

Possible Return Dates for Injured Arsenal Players

Kai Havertz (Hamstring strain): Arsenal confirmed that Havertz tore his hamstring earlier this week and will be out for the rest of the season. He will undergo surgery in the coming days, and his recovery will continue into pre-season. Arsenal has assured fans that they will fully support Havertz in his rehabilitation. His expected return is in the Summer of 2025.

Bukayo Saka (Hamstring strain): Saka has been out since December 21 after injuring his hamstring against Crystal Palace. Although he has been seen at the training ground, he has not yet resumed full training. His expected return is at the end of March 2025.

Gabriel Martinelli (Hamstring strain): Unlike Harvertz who got injured during training, Martinelli injured his hamstring during the Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle. He limped off the pitch, and reports from South America suggest he could be out for around a month. His expected return is at the end of March 2025, hopefully before the game against Fulham.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee Injury): Tomiyasu has played just six minutes this season after missing most of last year due to injury. Reports suggest he may need a second knee operation following a previous procedure in 2023.

Gabriel Jesus (Knee Injury): Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL tear in Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester United in January. The Brazilian underwent surgery and will be out for the rest of the season. His possible return date is in the summer of 2025.

Ben White returned to the game lineup against Leicester City in the weekend. He was an unused substitute and would trade carefully to avoid further strain. White has been out since November due to a knee injury.

What can Arsenal do now?

One option is to explore the free-agent market for short-term reinforcements. However, considering they did not sign a striker when the transfer window was open, it seems unlikely they will make a panic signing now.

Although Arsenal is open to looking at free-agent options, it remains uncertain whether any available players would be a good fit for the team’s needs. One potential option is former Arsenal forward Carlos Vela, who is now 35 years old. Another possibility is ex-Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who has good Premier League experience. However, Costa had a limited impact when he joined Wolves on a short-term deal in 2022 to help with their striker crisis.

When asked about the possibility of signing a free agent for the remainder of the season, Arteta said: “We’ll explore every possible situation and make a decision from there.” 

The more realistic approach is to make do with their current squad, but the choices are very limited. Arsenal has lost both of their first-choice strikers for the season and now has just three fit attacking players: Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, and Raheem Sterling (on loan from Chelsea).

The three played the front attacking roles in Arsenal’s win against Leicester City on Saturday and will likely be a recurring set-up following Arteta’s decision to maintain their unique 4-3-3 position. Trossard who once played as a central striker in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Girona played the center position in the game and created Mikel Merino’s second goal shortly after he broke the deadlock at the Power Stadium.

Nwaneri is seen as a potential No. 9 in the future, though he has mostly played as a winger and has perfectly adapted to the right flank. His success has made Bukayo Saka hardly missed in Arsenal’s set-up. Chelsea loanee Raheem Sterling has played centrally before, both for England and briefly in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Manchester City. Though he is less experienced in the center than Trossard, he could be a valuable option at the center when needed.

Arsenal is not the only Premier League team dealing with injuries, but the severity of their situation stands out. The team ranks mid-table in the Premier League for total injuries, meaning other clubs have suffered more injuries overall. However, Arsenal’s problem lies in how many days their key players are and will be sidelined. Their squad has lost nearly 650 days to injuries, which is well above the league average and the fifth-highest among all Premier League teams. While other clubs, including their north London counterparts Tottenham and West London rivals Chelsea, have had injury issues, Arsenal’s current situation is especially damaging given their title ambitions.

UPCOMING ARSENAL GAMES 

Arsenal vs. West Ham United, English Premier League, Saturday 22nd February, Emirates Stadium, London, 16:00

Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal, English Premier League, Wednesday 26th February, City Ground, Nottingham, 20:30

Manchester United vs. Arsenal, English Premier League, Sunday 9th March, Old Trafford, Manchester, 17:30

Arsenal vs. Chelsea, English Premier League, Sunday 16th March, Emirates Stadium, London, 14:30

Arsenal vs. Fulham, English Premier League, Tuesday 1st April, Emirates Stadium, London, 19:45

Everton vs. Arsenal, English Premier League, Saturday 5th April, Goodison Park, Liverpool, 15:00

Arsenal vs. Brentford, English Premier League, Saturday 12th April, Emirates Stadium, London, 15:00

Ipswich Town vs. Arsenal, English Premier League, Saturday 19th April, Portman Road, Ipswich, 15:00

Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace, English Premier League, Saturday 26th April, Emirates Stadium, London, 15:00

Arsenal vs. Bournemouth, English Premier League, Saturday 3rd May, Emirates Stadium, London, 15:00

Liverpool vs. Arsenal, English Premier League, Saturday 10th May, Anfield, Liverpool, 15:00

ARSENAL TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!

When securing your coveted Arsenal tickets explore tickets from secondary marketplaces for the best deals. Tickets from traditional sites are usually scarce due to high demand and may not consistently provide the best deals or experiences. Explore fan-friendly options that grant you access and comfort at the games, immersing you in an electrifying atmosphere with the Gunners. Make sure you are part of Arsenal’s journey this season, by securing tickets to the games and cheering the lads to victory.

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