Arsenal receives bad news in the Premier League title race

One of Arsenal's forwards has sustained an injury and will probably miss several matches.

According to a report from The Athletic, Kai Havertz is expected to miss Premier League games against Brentford and Wolverhampton, as well as the North London derby versus Tottenham and the FA Cup match against Wigan Athletic. The German striker is likely to only return for the match against Chelsea, a team he scored against in the Carabao Cup semi-final earlier this month.

The 26-year-old Arsenal star reportedly has a muscle injury and will be out for some time. This marks the third time in the past year that Havertz has been sidelined due to fitness issues, indicating he is going through a difficult period with injuries.

Previously, the former Bayer Leverkusen player suffered a hamstring injury in February 2025, causing him to miss most of the second half of last season. Then in the opening match of the new season against Man Utd, he injured his knee and had to stay out until December 2025 before making a comeback. Although the latest injury is unrelated to previous problems and is considered not too severe, the 1999-born star will still miss several upcoming games and may return in March.

Havertz’s absence deals another significant blow to Arsenal this month, following Mikel Merino's case. The Spanish player suffered a foot fracture, underwent surgery, and is expected to be out for at least three months, substantially weakening the "Gunners" squad during a crucial phase of the season.

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta spoke about Kai Havertz’s condition in January, confirming that the German player was very close to full recovery. He said the striker is working hard on the training ground to regain fitness: “He’s very close now. Clearly, he has been out for a long time, nearly a year, due to various reasons. Now we have to be very smart in managing his workload and minutes on the pitch. I believe in the next few weeks, he will get more playing time.”

The Spanish tactician also added: “I can’t guarantee he will play full matches because it depends on each game’s specific circumstances and whether it’s suitable to bring him on. With his qualities, having him in the squad is fantastic. We can use him in multiple positions, and you will see him in different roles. We are really happy to have him.”

Since returning from injury, Havertz has started 3 of his 6 appearances for Arsenal. In about 200 minutes on the field, he has scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists.