Arsenal forward Kai Havertz will undergo knee surgery after being sidelined at the start of the season, though the club does not expect him to be ruled out for an extended period of time.
The German international came off the bench in Arsenal’s opening-day win over Manchester United but did not feature in the Gunners’ 5-0 rout of Leeds United after reporting discomfort in his knee.
According to BBC Sport, the hope is that Havertz’s absence will only be a matter of weeks, not months.
Manager Mikel Arteta initially held off on confirming the extent of the issue, saying more tests were required, though the results now indicate that a minor operation is necessary.
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What did Arteta say about Havertz’s absence?
Speaking to reporters, Arteta said that Havertz was viewing the setback in a positive light despite obvious frustrations.
“Mentally, he’s in a good space,” Arteta said.
“He’s really a strong boy, very committed. He had an incredible recovery from the hamstring surgery (last season).
“He never had an injury before, so it was his first experience really. Now, he’s got a setback. Let’s see how bad it is but I’m sure he’s going to react in the best way possible.”
Havertz’s durability had been one of his strongest assets since his arrival from Chelsea in 2023.
The 26-year-old suffered a long-term hamstring injury last season during Arsenal’s mid-season camp in Dubai in February, though he returned to action in their final two league fixtures.
He has previously had a near-spotless injury record, appearing in 37 of Arsenal’s 38 Premier League matches games during his first season at the Emirates.
The German joins an already long list of absentees, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Christian Norgaard, Ben White and Gabriel Jesus also sidelined.
This has left Arteta short of attacking and midfield depth, with new signing Viktor Gyokeres the only fit center-forward option in the squad.
Midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard filled up front last season when Havertz was sidelined, though thankfully for Arteta, that shouldn’t be required this season.
But Arsenal have also already moved decisively in the transfer market to guard against further disruption.
When news of Havertz’s injury broke, the Gunners accelerated their efforts to land Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace in a deal worth over £60m, shoring up Arteta’s creative options amidst injuries piling up.
Arsenal’s busy schedule offers little room for error as they aim to mount a serious title challenge after three straight second-place finishes.
The Gunners travel to Anfield on Sunday (August 31) to face defending champions Liverpool in a clash that will provide an early indication of how they will cope without Havertz in the weeks ahead.
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