What Arsenal doctors privately thought about Kai Havertz injury return as Mikel Arteta drops revelation

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Arsenal’s win over Newcastle at the Emirates was positive for several reasons, one being Kai Havertz’s return.

After 95 days out of action, Havertz returned to the pitch after undergoing hamstring surgery.

The striker was hurt during a training session in Dubai amid Arsenal’s mid-season hot weather camp.

Arsenal’s dire injury record was summed up by Havertz’s hamstring tear, but thankfully, the German returned ahead of schedule to ensure he was there to end the season.

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Arsenal doctors surprised at Kai Havertz’s return

Mikel Arteta was stunned by Havertz’s physical transformation during his post-surgery rehabilitation.

The 25-year-old has returned as a force to be reckoned with, however, Arteta admitted that there were some doubts over the makeshift striker being reinstated to the squad so soon.

Speaking to the media in his post-match press conference, the Arsenal manager revealed what the club doctors were thinking about Havertz prior to his return to action.

“Kai, I mean, he’s been incredibly fast in his recovery. I think the doctors were a bit, is it too early? But he’s been pushing it, and he thought he could help the team.”

Havertz underwent surgery to repair a hamstring tear in February, and three months later, stepped back onto the pitch to play in the Premier League.

Hamstring injuries are notorious for being recurrent, making reservations from the doctors understandable, but as Arteta insisted, his striker was in remarkable condition and ready to compete. 

Havertz reacts to injury return

What is both spectacular and concerning is that Havertz missed months of action and still returned as Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League.

The German almost scored moments after coming on against Newcastle, but it wasn’t meant to be.

After the game, Havertz took to social media to react to stepping onto the pitch at the Emirates for the first time since early February.

“Thank you for all the support the past few months and over the season. Felt good to be back out there today!” The Arsenal striker wrote.

It’s been a difficult season for the 25-year-old, but the campaign still looks likely to end in his favour, as he continues to lead a rather underwhelming scoring chart at Arsenal for the 2024/25 campaign.