Arsenal forward Kai Havertz is set to miss the rest of the season after sustaining a torn hamstring during the team’s training camp in Dubai, Sportivationng.com reports.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Havertz was to be assessed after suffering the injury. It is unclear yet whether the 25-year-old will require surgery on the problem but his focus is on getting fit for the start of the 2025-26 season.
Havertz injured his hamstring during a training camp in Dubai and it means Arsenal now have no recognised strikers currently fully fit as they bid to close the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Havertz returned to London with the rest of the squad on Tuesday night and the injury will continue to be assessed on Wednesday and Thursday. Mikel Arteta is expected to provide an update on the injury at his news conference on Friday.
Arsenal have already lost Gabriel Jesus for the rest of the season after he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
The Gunners also have Gabriel Martinelli out for the next month with a hamstring problem sustained in their Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle.
Arsenal have also been without Bukayo Saka since December 21 with a hamstring issue – though the England winger was part of the Gunners’ training squad to Dubai and could return to action in March.
The most likely option is dealing with what they have – and those options are slim. Not only do Arsenal have their two first-choice centre forwards out for the season, they also have just three forward players fit in their squad in Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and on-loan Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling.
All three are contenders to play up front in their next game against Leicester on Saturday.
Trossard played as the No 9 in the Champions League win over Girona, while Arteta has branded the No 9 role as a potential full-time role for Nwaneri in the future – though the 17-year-old’s best outings have come out wide.
Sterling is also an option having played the final few minutes of the 5-1 win over Man City in that position, plus he has the history of turning out in a central role with England.
