Football/ Injury crisis deepens as Arsenal lose Havertz for the season

Arsenal’s hopes for a strong finish to the 2024-25 campaign have taken a significant blow with the news that Kai Havertz is set to miss the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury.

The 25-year-old forward, who has been a standout performer with 15 goals and five assists this season, sustained the injury during Arsenal’s training camp in Dubai.

Sources indicate he may require surgery, compounding the Gunners’ attacking woes.

Havertz’s absence adds to a growing injury list that includes Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli, leaving manager Mikel Arteta with limited options up front.

The club’s failure to secure a striker in the January transfer window, despite links to players like Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins, has left fans and pundits questioning Arsenal’s depth and ambition.

Arteta, who had previously hinted at relying heavily on Havertz for the season’s final stretch, now faces a tactical headache.

Wingers Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and youngster Ethan Nwaneri are likely to be deployed in unfamiliar roles to fill the void.

Currently second in the Premier League, six points behind Liverpool, Arsenal’s title aspirations hinge on overcoming this injury crisis. With key players sidelined, the pressure is on Arteta to find solutions and keep the Gunners in contention.

The coming weeks will test the squad’s resilience and depth as they aim to replicate last season’s post-break resurgence.