Arteta fears Havertz will be out for months
After his knee surgery, Kai Havertz is back in rehab training. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta doesn't expect a quick return. This is also bad news for Julian Nagelsmann.
Knee fall: Kai Havertz. IMAGO/News Images
Kai Havertz 's ordeal could drag on even further. Before Arsenal's League Cup match against Port Vale on Wednesday evening, coach Mikel Arteta spoke about the 26-year-old's condition. His words offered little hope for a quick return. Initially, the Gunners boss said Havertz could be out for "months," before later downplaying the situation. "I don't know if it might even be weeks. You never know, because Kai is a special guy," Arteta continued.
Havertz injured his hamstring during a short training camp in Dubai at the beginning of February and required surgery. The former Leverkusen player returned in mid-May and played in the last two league matches. This season, he came on as a substitute in the 60th minute of the Gunners' 1-0 win at Manchester United on Matchday 1, before his knee started hurting again, requiring another minor procedure. At the time, the Gunners declined to disclose the length of his absence.
Havertz will be missing not only the Londoners, but also the German national team—and possibly for the entire remainder of the World Cup qualifiers. He will miss the matches against Luxembourg (October 10) and the match against Northern Ireland three days later, and the final two matches against Luxembourg and Slovakia will take place in mid-November.
Havertz's last international match to date was against Hungary in November 2024. He was also unavailable for the Nations League Final Four, and the 26-year-old was sorely missed in the first qualifying matches against Slovakia (0-2) and Northern Ireland (3-1).
Madueke is also out for a longer periodArteta also spoke of Havertz's "good progress" so far. "We miss him a lot. Hopefully, he'll come back, and long-term. That's why it's very important to take care of his knee." It's a bitter pill for Arteta to swallow that he'll now also have to do without Noni Madueke . The 23-year-old was forced off at halftime in the top match against Manchester City ( 1-1 ) due to a knee injury. The winger will be out for around two months.
