Kai Havertz has sustained a knee injury serious enough for Arsenal to consider signing a replacement striker this summer, a new report has revealed.
The German forward spent almost the entire second half of last season sidelined with a severe hamstring problem. Mikel Arteta was forced to convert central midfielder Mikel Merino into a striker, prompting a considerable dip in attacking threat which led to another failed Arsenal title challenge.
After featuring extensively in pre-season and then coming on for the closing stages of Sunday’s 1–0 win over Manchester United, Havertz missed the team’s open training session on Wednesday. The Athletic were the first to reveal that the 26-year-old had damaged his knee.
No timeline was provided but concerns appear to be grave enough for Arsenal to be “actively exploring” alternative strikers in the transfer market.
Summer recruit Viktor Gyökeres is the only available striker in Arteta’s squad standing between Merino and a return to his makeshift striker role. Gabriel Jesus is thought to remain out of action “for some time” after tearing his ACL last January.
Arsenal appeared to have shifted their focus from incomings to outgoings before this latest development. As many as six players are thought to be available for sale this summer, including defenders Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The stance on Leandro Trossard has wavered this summer, but the senior winger was surprisingly handed a new contract on improved terms.
If Arsenal are to dip back into the striker transfer market, the Gunners may have to finance such a move with exit—even if they don’t stretch to the lofty demands of an Alexander Isak.
This injury blow comes fresh from claims that Havertz had undergone a “transformation in his body” while recovering from his hamstring injury earlier this year. “Power, acceleration, muscle mass, the way that he has increased certain capacities in his body, his agility, he's been incredible,” Arteta gushed. “I was talking to the medical staff the other day and they were talking about that.” The club’s medical department will be talking about Havertz again now.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Rocked by Kai Havertz Injury, Surprise ‘Transfer Stance’ Revealed.
