How Badly Would A Kai Havertz Injury Hurt Arsenal?

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Kai Havertz of Arsenal gestures during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Arsenal FC at Stadium of Light on September 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

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Mikel Arteta will have watched Germany’s UEFA Nations League match against the Netherlands through his fingers, especially as Kai Havertz hobbled off with an injury. The forward is central to Arsenal’s chances of success this season, explaining why Arteta would be so disappointed to see one of his most important players suffer a set-back.

Havertz will have a scan to determine the severity of his injury. The 27-year-old has missed a lot of soccer in recent times, including the first half of last season. Arsenal can’t afford to have its best centre forward sidelined for a long period of the 2026/27 campaign. Arteta will nervously await the outcome of Havertz’s scan.

“At the moment both are on the MRI [scans],” said Klopp after the game against the Netherlands. “I hope we get the diagnosis tonight. But of course that’s not great now. I hope this is just nothing bad. The boys are probably out for us. But hopefully then also relatively quickly available again.”

Arsenal has other players that can play in the central attacking position if Havertz is sidelined for a period. Viktor Gyokeres is the Gunners’ most natural striker. Signed for €73m from Sporting CP, Arsenal saw the Swede as a solution to its lack of a natural centre forward and Gyokeres repaid some of that transfer fee by scoring 14 league goals in his debut season.

Mikel Merino can also operate as a central attacker, although the Spanish World Cup winner is better in central midfield. Nonetheless, Arteta knows that he can turn to Merino if he absolutely needs to deploy him as a deputy for Havertz. Merino has performed that role for the Gunners in the past.

While Arsenal entered the international break on the back of a humbling 3-0 defeat to Brighton, Arteta’s side has started the season strongly. The Gunners have won four of their opening five league games and opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Napoli.

Havertz has been in excellent form. The 27-year-old has found the back of the net twice in the Premier League and has played an important role in bringing the best out of teammates like Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, both of whom have rediscovered their best form to start the new campaign.

Arsenal’s depth will keep Arteta’s team competitive if Havertz is to spend another spell on the sidelines through injury. Nonetheless, the Gunners would be worse off for being without the forward. His latest injury flare up has highlighted how important he is for the Premier League champions.