Arsenal and Germany Suffer Setback as Kai Havertz Ruled Out for Remainder of Season
London, England – Arsenal’s hopes of challenging for the Premier League title have been dealt a major blow with the news that star striker Kai Havertz will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Gunners confirmed on Thursday that the 25-year-old German international suffered a thigh injury during a training session in Dubai last week. He is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days.
"After assessment and consultation with our specialist team, Kai Havertz has sustained a significant thigh injury during our warm-weather training camp in Dubai last week," Arsenal said in a statement. "He is expected to miss the rest of the current season.
"The rehabilitation process is expected to take until the pre-season of the upcoming season."
Havertz’s absence is a significant loss for Arsenal, who have relied heavily on his goalscoring prowess this season. The former Chelsea forward has been the London club’s top scorer in all competitions with nine goals, including crucial strikes in wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
With Arsenal currently sitting second in the Premier League table, seven points behind leaders Manchester City, Havertz’s absence will be a major setback to their title ambitions.
The injury also comes as a major blow to the German national team. Havertz is a key figure for Die Mannschaft and would have been expected to play a pivotal role in their upcoming UEFA Nations League quarter-final against Italy in March.
Germany head coach Hansi Flick expressed his disappointment and concern over Havertz’s injury.
"We are all very sad for Kai and wish him a speedy recovery," Flick said. "He is an important player for us and we will miss him greatly.
"However, we will not give up and will continue to fight for our goals. We have a strong squad and we believe that we can still achieve great things."
In addition to Arsenal and Germany, Havertz’s former club Bayer Leverkusen also sent their well wishes to the injured striker.
"We wish you a speedy recovery, Kai!," Leverkusen said in a statement on social media.
Havertz’s injury is the latest in a string of setbacks for Arsenal this season. The Gunners have also been without key players such as Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Thomas Partey at various points of the campaign.
Despite these challenges, Arsenal remain in contention for both the Premier League title and the UEFA Europa League. They will hope to bounce back from their recent defeat to Manchester United when they face Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
As for Havertz, he will now focus on his rehabilitation and recovery. The hope is that he will be back fit and firing for the start of the 2024/25 season.
