Mikel Arteta says Arsenal’s strengthened squad can absorb more injury setbacks after confirming Kai Havertz will be out for a few more weeks. The Germany forward, sidelined since August following knee surgery, suffered a setback when he tried to increase his training load and is not yet ready to return.
Arteta must now decide who leads the line against Brentford on Wednesday: Mikel Merino, who scored against Chelsea, Viktor Gyökeres, who has just returned from a muscle injury, or Gabriel Jesus, who is nearing full fitness after 11 months out.
Arsenal may also be without William Saliba and Leandro Trossard again, meaning summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié could continue in central defence. Arteta said this year’s £250m investment has made the squad “more reliable” and better able to cope with injuries.
He praised Havertz’s mentality and expressed eagerness to have him back, calling the forward’s absence difficult for both the player and the team. Arteta said unlocking the final stage of Havertz’s recovery had taken time but insisted his eventual return would be a “massive boost.”
