Arsenal have been dealt a setback with reports that Kai Havertz is set to miss an extended period due to a knee injury.

According to The Athletic, the German international picked up the knock recently and is expected to be sidelined, though the exact duration of his absence remains unclear.

Havertz, who featured as a second-half substitute in Arsenal’s narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend, was absent from the club’s open training session at the Emirates on Wednesday morning.

In response, Arsenal are said to be actively exploring the transfer market to bolster their attacking options and provide cover during Havertz’s absence.

This development all but confirms that new signing Viktor Gyökeres is set to lead the line when the Gunners face Leeds United in their second Premier League clash on Saturday. The Swedish striker, who struggled to make a strong impact against United, will now be eager to deliver his first competitive goal in front of the home crowd at the Emirates.

Opinion
For Arsenal, Havertz’s injury could not have come at a worse time. The German may not have set the Premier League alight in his early days at the Emirates, but his versatility, work rate, and experience make him a valuable piece in Mikel Arteta’s system. Losing him now deprives the team of attacking fluidity and squad depth just as the season begins to take shape.

The spotlight now shifts to Gyökeres. Big-money strikers are always under pressure to justify their transfer fees, and Arsenal fans will expect nothing less than goals. While it is unfair to judge him solely on one quiet outing at Old Trafford, Saturday’s clash with Leeds provides the perfect opportunity to silence doubts and announce himself properly to the Premier League.

Still, this situation underlines a bigger issue: Arsenal’s thin margins in attack. Injuries to key forwards could derail momentum, and while the club is already scanning the market, the solution may lie not just in signings but in how Arteta maximizes the talent already at his disposal.

One thing is certain—Havertz’s absence will test Arsenal’s resilience early in the campaign. And as history has shown, it’s how the Gunners handle these moments of adversity that often defines their season.