Arsenal 26yo suffers knee injury | OneFootball

Kai Havertz has suffered a knee injury, with Arsenal actively exploring the market for a signing to provide cover for the forward.

Photo via Arsenal on Twitter

David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Kai Havertz is set for a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, with the current prognosis and duration of a potential lay-off unclear.

Assessments are still at an early stage, but Ornstein adds that Arsenal are now actively exploring the transfer market for potential reinforcements.

For the time being, Mikel Arteta will be relying on Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino as his alternatives to Viktor Gyokeres, perhaps adding another justification to reports in the last 24 hours that Trossard has finally agreed a new deal with the club.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Arsenal wouldn’t necessarily need to sign a striker to cover for Havertz. As mentioned, the Gunners have Gyokeres, Trossard, and Merino as options, with Gabriel Jesus to return later this year.

But if Havertz is out for an extended period, and Trossard moves to a more central position, that would then leave the Gunners light on the wings.

Trossard’s versatility gives Arsenal some flexibility. If they can sign a striker, Trossard can play wide, if they can sign a winger, Trossard can play centrally.

Photo via Arsenal.com

On a personal level, Havertz’s new injury is certainly a blow. After working hard to recover from his three-month hamstring setback last season, he only managed three competitive appearances as a substitute before this new injury.

The striker played a significant role in pre-season, but he’ll be frustrated he can’t now contribute when it really counts.