Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s frontline is on the verge of a significant evolution, predicting that the imminent return of Kai Havertz will unlock a “different dimension” for the Premier League leaders.
The German international, who has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery in August, is finally nearing full fitness after a frustrating setback in his rehabilitation earlier this month.
Havertz’s influence was undeniable last season; despite a campaign punctuated by hamstring issues, the 26-year-old finished as the club’s top scorer in the league with nine goals. His road to recovery took a positive turn this week as he was pictured back in training, with Arteta revealing the forward was agonizingly close to making the squad for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Crystal Palace.
“I think it will be a matter of days, not weeks,” the manager confirmed, offering a timeline that suggests the waiting game is nearly over. “Let’s see in the next step how he responds to that. But he’s a player that we miss a lot, a player that brings the team into a different dimension. So I’m really happy to have him back very soon.”
While Saturday’s encounter with Brighton may come too soon for Havertz, his availability will soon present Arteta with a welcome selection dilemma. Once fully fit, the German will vie for the leading role against Gabriel Jesus – who recently made his first start in nearly a year – and the £64m summer signing Viktor Gyökeres.
However, as options in attack expand, Arteta faces fresh headaches at the back. Gabriel Martinelli remains a doubt with a knee problem, while the defensive rotation has been further complicated by an unspecified injury to Piero Hincapié sustained against Everton. Consequently, Riccardo Calafiori is expected to continue his partnership with William Saliba in central defence – remarkably, the eighth different defensive pairing Arsenal have been forced to deploy this season. Regarding Gabriel Magalhães, Arteta tempered expectations, noting the Brazilian has not yet resumed training and is unlikely to return until the new year.
If injuries were the narrative that undermined Arsenal’s title challenge last season, a newfound discipline is currently rewriting the script. Beyond sitting at the summit of the Premier League, Arteta’s side also leads the fair play standings with just 22 bookings and zero dismissals in 17 games – a stark improvement on the six red cards received last term. That turbulent period began in the corresponding fixture against Brighton in August 2024, a match remembered for Declan Rice’s controversial second yellow card.
“I remember very well, I was very hacked off in the manner that we played with 10 men,” Arteta recalled of that afternoon. “Hopefully it’s going to be very different next time.”