Arsenal: Two former players and Chelsea title winner among free agent options to replace Kai Havertz | OneFootball

Gunners could be forced into emergency signing after latest injury blow

Mikel Arteta is increasingly short of options in attack as he tries to keep Arsenal’s Premier League title bid from falling away.

Kai Havertz has suffered a hamstring injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season, joining Gabriel Jesus as a long-term absentee, and it leaves Arteta without a first-choice striker.

Leandro Trossard is an obvious choice to fill in through the middle, but Arsenal are short of options out wide too, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli both still weeks away from a return.

We’ve taken a look at four of the free agents available as an emergency option...

Arsenal do not have a fit striker after Kai Havertz suffered a hamstring injury

AP

Carlos Vela

Former Arsenal striker Carlos Vela is currently without a club and one of those who is available to sign outside of the transfer window.

The Mexican played for the Gunners between 2005 and 2012, but spent much of that period on loan before securing a permanent move to Real Sociedad.

Now 35, Vela spent six seasons at Los Angeles FC, scoring 78 goals before leaving the club last year.

Lucas Perez

Lucas Perez had a largely unsuccessful spell at Arsenal after signing in the summer of 2016, scoring one Premier League goal before returning to Deportivo.

Perez is now a free agent, though, after he terminated his contract at Deportivo last month for personal reasons.

Lucas Perez was signed by Arsene Wenger in 2016

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Diego Costa

Arsenal have made a habit of signing players with a Chelsea connection.

Jorginho, Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling have all arrived in north London from the Blues, following in the footsteps of the likes of Willian, David Luiz and Petr Cech.

However, it would be a huge surprise if Diego Costa did likewise, even if he is available after leaving spells in Brazil with Botafogo and Gremio.

The 36-year-old made his Premier League return in the 2022/23 season with Wolves, but scored just one goal in 23 appearances and has struggled to stay fit in recent years.

Maxi Gomez

Maxi Gomez, 28, could be a more appealing option for the Gunners, even if he is unlikely to solve the goalscoring problems.

The Uruguayan had a strong record in front of goal earlier in his career for Celta, earning him a move to Valencia where he stayed for three seasons.

However, Gomez scored only five times during a season at Trabzonspor and was released, before joining Cadiz where he failed to find the net in 33 appearances during the 2023/24 campaign.