Kai Havertz has sustained a ‘serious’ hamstring injury, likely ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Mail Sport exclusively reported on Tuesday night that the Arsenal star suffered the concerning injury during the club’s training camp in Dubai.
Sources suggest Havertz faces an extended spell on the sidelines.
His absence makes him a major doubt for the remainder of the campaign. This comes as a huge setback for Mikel Arteta, who is already dealing with injuries to key attackers Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Havertz, Arsenal’s top scorer this season with 15 goals, will be sorely missed as the team strives to catch Liverpool at the top of the table.
Criticism of Arsenal’s failure to sign an attacker in January will likely escalate following Havertz’s injury.
Kai Havertz could be set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury earlier this week
The Gunners, who are behind league leaders Liverpool in the title race, are currently on a training trip in Dubai as they look to challenge for honours in the second half of the season
Meanwhile, Arsenal have explored the option of Takehiro Tomiyasu undergoing surgery to cure his long-standing knee problem.
The Japan defender has played just six minutes of football this season, coming on as a late substitute in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton in October following a three month recovery from a knee injury that saw him miss the start of the season.
But he has not featured since that win over the Saints after suffering an injury setback.
Indeed, Mail Sport understands there is emerging concern for Tomiyasu’s long-term fitness with club medics believed to have given serious consideration to the option of an operation for their versatile defender.
It is unclear whether a final decision on surgery has been made – but it has been an option discussed at the club’s London Colney HQ.
A new operation would require a lengthy rehabilitation programme and likely rule Tomiyasu out for a significant period of time.
In 2023, Tomiyasu underwent his first knee operation which kept the 26-year-old out of action for three months.
With that in mind, a second procedure on the joint would arrive as a blow to Tomiyasu, whose time at Arsenal has been beset by injury issues.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is already missing a handful of forward options and admitted that he was disappointed that the club did not invest in an attacker in the January window
Bukayo Saka travelled with his Arsenal team-mates to their winter training camp in Dubai
Speaking last month head coach Mikel Arteta provided a positive update on Tomiyasu’s fitness saying: ‘Tomi has done some stuff on the pitch, but now because it’s been a long-term injury, we need to see how quickly he can progress and how he reacts.’
But there is now some pessimism regarding Tomiyasu’s fitness amplified by the discussions over a potential operation.
The imminent return to fitness of Ben White will help to soften the blow of Tomiyasu’s ongoing unavailability.
White, who himself underwent knee surgery in November, is set to return and could be named in the squad to face Leicester this weekend.