When will Kai Havertz return from injury for Arsenal? | OneFootball

Kai Havertz was expected to miss the rest of the season after surgery on a torn hamstring, but Mikel Arteta has now opened the door to a potential return before it’s over.

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In February, Arsenal confirmed that the German international had suffered a severe hamstring injury in training while on camp in Dubai, one that required surgery and was likely to rule him out until the 2025/26 season.

But, speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Brentford, Arteta revised that assessment with a degree of guarded optimism.

“Hopefully, we can have him back [before the end of the season],” Arteta said.

“Let’s see, every injury isn’t the same. The mindset of those two [Saka and Havertz], though, is very, very similar.

“[He has a] great injury history, great work ethic, he’s desperate to get back playing as quickly as possible, and great medical staff as well to look after them.”

Photo via Havertz on Instagram

A return date remains unclear, but Arsenal have not ruled out Havertz featuring in the final weeks of the season. Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s game against Ipswich, Arteta said, “I think that’s [the semi-final] too close, but if I had to bet on him earlier than expected, I would say yes. The way he’s pushing in the gym, you cannot hold him much longer.”

The club’s hope is that he may yet play a role in either the league run-in or a potential Champions League final. It depends, Arteta said, on “the last stage of that rehab,” when the nature of his recovery becomes clearer.

In Havertz’s absence, Mikel Merino has emerged as an unlikely but crucial figure. The Spanish midfielder has scored four and assisted three in his last eight matches, with five goal involvements in Arsenal’s Champions League knockout wins over Real Madrid and PSV.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Arteta’s unexpected solutions have helped sustain a deep European run despite the loss of so many players to injury this season. When asked whether the long list of setbacks affected his thinking, Arteta was clear.

“We’ve played without Gabriel, without Saliba, Ben White all season, Tomiyasu all season, Calafiori for two months, Merino for two months, Martin Ødegaard for two months, Bukayo Saka for three months, Gabriel Jesus… all of them,” Arteta said. “So that’s it, that’s the challenge ahead. I love it.”

Whether Havertz returns this season or not, Arsenal have already shown they can adapt. But if he is able to take part in the decisive stretch, it would offer Arteta one more tactical weapon at a time when margins are razor thin.