Kai Havertz now faces a decisive Arsenal spell as fitness, form and forward competition shape his role in the title race.
Kai Havertz has spent much of this season fighting a battle Arsenal never wanted him to face. The Germany forward remains one of Mikel Arteta’s most trusted players, yet injuries have repeatedly interrupted his rhythm and reduced his influence at key moments.
The 26-year-old has made only 20 appearances this season. A knee injury suffered on the opening day kept him out for four months, while further muscle problems have turned his campaign into a frustrating stop-start story. For a player valued for intelligence, movement and physical presence, that absence has left a clear mark on Arsenal’s attack.
Havertz’s injury problems began with a hamstring issue during a winter training camp in Dubai in February 2025. That injury required surgery and ruled him out for three months. Arsenal then hoped for a fresh start, but another setback arrived in August when he damaged his knee in the win against Manchester United.
The timing hurt Arsenal badly. Havertz had been expected to compete directly with Viktor Gyokeres, who arrived in the summer for £64m. Instead, Arteta has rarely had both forwards fully available, and that has limited Arsenal’s attacking choices during a demanding campaign.
Havertz has still produced useful numbers when fit. He has five goals and four assists in 20 appearances, which gives him nearly one direct goal involvement every two games. In the Champions League, he has three goals and one assist in five matches, including the winner in the quarter-final first leg against Sporting.
Those numbers matter because they show why Arsenal have missed him. Havertz does not only score. He links play, presses defenders, creates space and gives Arteta tactical flexibility. Since returning, he has played both as a forward and a midfielder, offering Arsenal a different route through compact defensive blocks.
His importance appeared again against Manchester City last month. Havertz started, scored, and completed his only full match of the season in a 2-1 defeat. His goal came after pressing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a moment that underlined his work-rate and sharp reading of danger.
That same edge has often been missing from Arsenal’s attack. The Gunners have faced criticism for predictable attacking patterns and a growing reliance on set-piece goals. Without Havertz’s movement between lines, their forward play has sometimes looked heavy and disconnected.
His latest setback came after only 34 minutes in the 1-0 win against Newcastle United. The disappointment was obvious. Havertz then missed the 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final, another major absence in a season full of them.
Arteta has repeatedly made clear how highly he rates Havertz. The Arsenal manager sees him as one of the team’s key attacking players and values his versatility as much as his goals. That trust could prove vital during the final stretch of the season.
The contract picture also adds weight to the situation. Havertz joined Arsenal from Chelsea for £65m in 2023, and he will enter the final two years of his deal this summer. Before this injury-hit season, Arsenal had considered their next steps, including whether to extend his contract or assess potential interest.
For now, those discussions appear secondary. Havertz needs availability more than anything else. His recent injury record makes a major summer decision more complicated, while questions over Gyokeres’ fit against elite opposition keep Havertz firmly in the conversation.
Arsenal have also been linked with other forward options, including Julian Alvarez. Yet Havertz still has a strong case to remain central to Arteta’s plans. When fit, he brings a mix of height, pressing, technical quality and game intelligence that few players in the squad can match.
The next few weeks may define more than just his season. Havertz must prove his body can handle the demands of Arsenal’s biggest matches. If he does, he can still turn a difficult campaign into an important chapter in the club’s title and Champions League push.