Arsenal dealt fresh setback as key forward faces another injury layoff

Arsenal’s season has been rocked by another untimely setback, with forward Kai Havertz set for a renewed spell on the sidelines after sustaining a fresh injury.

The Germany international, who has already endured a frustrating run of fitness problems across the 2025-26 campaign, now faces additional time away just as he was beginning to regain rhythm.

Havertz’s latest issue compounds what has been a turbulent year physically. After battling back from a hamstring injury that ruled him out for the final three months of the 2024-25 season, the 25-year-old returned with hopes of a clean slate.

However, only a week into the current campaign, he suffered a knee problem that kept him out for four-and-a-half months. He eventually made his comeback in the first half of January, offering Mikel Arteta renewed attacking options.

Muscular injury disrupts Arsenal’s plans

According to The Athletic, Havertz has now sustained a “muscular injury,” though it remains unclear whether the setback occurred during training or in Arsenal’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the weekend. The lack of specificity around the injury only adds to the uncertainty surrounding his recovery timeline.

What is clear, however, is the immediate impact on Arsenal’s schedule. Kai Havertz is now expected to miss key fixtures, including clashes against Brentford, Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, Wolves, and most notably, next weekend’s high-stakes north London derby away at Tottenham Hotspur.

The derby absence will be particularly painful for Arsenal supporters, as the Gunners look to maintain momentum in both domestic and cup competitions.

Havertz’s versatility across the front line has been a valuable asset when available, and his continued struggles leave Arteta with difficult tactical decisions at a critical juncture of the season.

A season defined by fitness frustrations

For Kai Havertz, this latest injury underscores a campaign defined more by rehabilitation than rhythm. Arteta has previously emphasized the need to carefully reintegrate the German after long layoffs, but repeated setbacks have disrupted any sustained run of form.

As Arsenal navigate a packed fixture list, the focus will now shift to how effectively they can cope without one of their key attacking options once again — and how quickly Havertz can put this latest hurdle behind him.