Kai Havertz’s injury struggles at Arsenal have still not come to an end.
The Germany international suffered a knee injury in the very first game of the season against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Havertz was initially scheduled to return to action in November and was just days away from playing again. However, a setback sidelined him for a longer period.
Now, just when it looked like he was back fit, the Arsenal number 29’s knee started to cause more problems.
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Kai Havertz’s knee has flared up again after his return from injury
Kai Havertz made his long-awaited return to Arsenal’s squad for the game against Aston Villa in December.
Fans of the Emirates Stadium club were delighted to see him on the bench, and there was a lot of excitement even though he didn’t play in that game.
Havertz missed the next two games in the Premier League but came on as a substitute in the cup fixtures against Chelsea and Portsmouth. He was also on the bench against Nottingham Forest and Inter Milan, which is said to have surprised many.
Now, the Daily Mail have claimed that his knee ‘flared up’ again following his return from injury. It has been revealed that the attacker was ‘far from full fitness’ when he was named on the bench against Villa.
Arsenal have concerns about Havertz’s long-term fitness as a result, and they have now been forced to limit the number of minutes he can play.
There are fears within the club that if his knee ‘continues to flare up, they could have long-term ramifications that could see the club forced to settle for prolonged management of his game time, rather than having him fully available for every match’.
That is not good news at all, as many fans felt that Havertz’s return was the push Mikel Arteta’s side needed to go all the way in the title race.
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Kai Havertz’s issue is a concern but Arsenal can deal with it
It is a real shame that Havertz is still struggling with his knee.
The former Chelsea man could make a big difference to this side. His short cameo against Portsmouth in the FA Cup showed everyone what he is capable of.
Arsenal will carefully manage Havertz’s minutes now and not take any more risks. He is unlikely to play every game and may have to wait for a while before he starts.
That is disappointing, but Gabriel Jesus has looked great since his return, while Viktor Gyokeres has scored two goals in his last three games.
That should give Arsenal the confidence they need to manage without Havertz until he is fully fit.
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