Times: Gabriel & Havertz could need 6 months to get back properly for Arsenal | OneFootball

Arsenal could be without the fully fit versions of both Gabriel Magalhães and Kai Havertz for up to six months, according to a report in The Times, which suggests the club may need to reshape its summer transfer plans to cope with the long-term implications of their injuries.

The report states that the pair, who have each undergone hamstring surgery in recent weeks, are expected to still be in the midst of rehabilitation during pre-season, and may require a further extended period to return to peak physical condition.

While not yet ruled out for the start of the 2025–26 campaign, the expectation is that it could take until well into the autumn for either to regain full sharpness and load-bearing capacity.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Gabriel sustained his injury during Arsenal’s defeat to Fulham, after which he underwent a surgical repair.

Havertz has been sidelined longer, having suffered a similar issue during the club’s training camp in Dubai earlier this year. Both players are considered central to Mikel Arteta’s plans, but their uncertain timelines could force the club into the market for both attacking and defensive reinforcements.

Speaking ahead of the Everton match, Arteta acknowledged the difficulty of planning with so many key players in recovery. “It makes it harder because there are some players who will start the season after surgical intervention and that’s always a big question mark,” he said.

Photo via Havertz on Instagram

“We have quite a bunch of those players and that brings uncertainty because we don’t know how capable those players are going to be to sustain congested periods.

“Let’s see if it affects [the transfer window], but we have to be very conscious of that, because there are a lot of uncertainties about what some of those players are going to be able to cope with, especially for the first five or six months of the season.”

For a team trying to manage a deep European run alongside title ambitions, clarity over key players’ fitness will be critical. Arsenal’s summer, already shaping up to be busy, may now require even more strategic depth.