Arsenal’s troublesome pause from league fixtures has taken another negative turn after confirmation that Kai Havertz has suffered what Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann described as a minor setback in his rehabilitation. The forward, who has not appeared for club or country since injuring his knee on the opening matchday against Manchester United, has faced a longer road back than initially hoped.
Arsenal’s troublesome pause from league fixtures has taken another negative turn after confirmation that Kai Havertz has suffered what Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann described as a minor setback in his rehabilitation. The forward, who has not appeared for club or country since injuring his knee on the opening matchday against Manchester United, has faced a longer road back than initially hoped.
Nagelsmann, unlike Mikel Arteta—who often withholds precise information regarding player fitness—offered a more straightforward assessment. He explained that Havertz experienced a slight recurrence of his problem, though insisted the player is progressing well. According to the national team manager, a return before the end of the year remains realistic if his recovery proceeds smoothly.
Before players departed for international duty, Arteta urged patience regarding Havertz’s reintegration. He warned that Arsenal would need to monitor his training workload and tightly regulate his playing time upon his eventual return. That caution now appears even more relevant following this latest development.
The update on Havertz only adds to a difficult period for the Premier League leaders, whose squad has been repeatedly disrupted throughout November.
This month has seen Arsenal deal with what is often referred to in Spain—particularly around Barcelona—as the “FIFA Virus,” a term used to describe clusters of injuries sustained during national-team duties. The north London side have endured exactly that scenario.
Gabriel stands out as the most serious concern. The defender picked up a thigh problem that may keep him unavailable until January, potentially ruling him out of up to 15 fixtures. Riccardo Calafiori was also forced to withdraw from Italy duty, though he is expected to be fit for the upcoming derby.
Jurriën Timber, who has been in one of the strongest spells of form of his career, also had a scare after a heavy collision in the Netherlands’ victory over Lithuania. He appeared to suffer a substantial cut but continued playing before eventually being taken off. His status for the weekend remains uncertain.
Additional issues compound the picture. Gabriel Jesus and Havertz remain out, while Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Martinelli stayed in London instead of travelling with their national teams. Martin Ødegaard did meet up with Norway, though only in a supporting role as he continues to manage a knee problem. His manager, Ståle Solbakken, admitted that the midfielder is still some distance from full readiness.
Despite the lengthy list of unavailable players, Arsenal have not entirely ruled out some positive news. Arteta has hinted that Madueke, Gyökeres and Martinelli could potentially rejoin the squad for the coming league clash. However, he stressed that their availability depends on several conditions being met, and he warned that recent weeks have offered little in the way of ideal circumstances.
Arsenal’s situation underscores the precarious nature of an international window for teams battling on multiple fronts. With key fixtures ahead and the season entering a decisive phase, every fresh injury increases the strain on a squad already walking a tightrope.
The coming days will be critical as the club assesses who can realistically feature and who will need further time to recover. For now, the club faces the unwanted challenge of navigating one of its most disrupted periods of the season.
