Kai Havertz will undergo surgery on his knee issue and a lengthy absence is not expected as he recovers.
The procedure is not major and comes after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said on August 22 that Havertz needed more tests to determine the timeframe on his return.
“Mentally, he’s in a good space,” Arteta added. “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 was out several months last season after suffering a hamstring injury during a warm-weather training camp in Dubai in February, only coming back for the final two games of the campaign.
He had previously featured in 37 of 38 league games during his first season at Arsenal following his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023.
The absence leaves summer signing Viktor Gyokeres as the sole recognised No 9 available to Arteta, with Gabriel Jesus out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear he sustained in January.
Midfielder Mikel Merino and winger Leandro Trossard filled in up front in the second half of last season with Havertz and Jesus out.
Arsenal were actively exploring the transfer market to reinforce their attack, following Havertz’s injury.
They have completed the signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, for an initial £60million ($81.2m) with a potential £7.5m in add-ons.
Gyokeres has already assumed the role of starting striker, scoring twice against Leeds United, so Arteta’s conundrum will surround how he now supports his new signing without Havertz.
Should Arteta want a player similar to Havertz, Merino proved he can do a job as a makeshift centre-forward when the German was injured last season.
In the absence of Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, Merino scored six of his nine goals last season when starting up front.
