Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits losing Kai Havertz until the end of the season is bad news but it is a challenge the team has overcome this season.
Arteta said: “We were having a great camp in Dubai, recharging, training. Reconnecting with nature then the injury happened in a very unexpected way. It’s a big blow because of the injuries we have. Fortunately we have dealt with many injuries this season.”
Ethan Nwaneri has enjoyed a breakout campaign. And has been tipped to eventually morph into a striker, but the Arsenal boss has all but ruled out that as a possibility for now.
Havertz’s injury, coupled with the players who were already absent at the Emirates. Further shines a light on the club’s failure to sign a prolific striker in recent transfer windows. They opted against bringing one in back in the summer and then made moves to rectify that in January.
The Gunners have another problem in attack as the German striker suffered a hamstring injury while travelling to Dubai for training and will not be playing this season. “
We had a great campaign in Dubai, recharging the batteries, training, having a bit of rest and reconnecting with nature and a different environment,” Arteta said. “
Then the injury came out of nowhere, it was bad news because of the injury but luckily we have come through a lot this season,” he said. “
We have played without Saliba, without Ben White all season, Tomiyasu all season, Calafiori for two months, Merino for two months, Odegaard for two months, Saka for three months, Gabriel Jesus… all of them. “It is a challenge I have,
I like it and I am looking forward to it because we are where we are now, as I said, apart from having to play with 10 men four times. “
We have to see what this team is made of.”