AMSTERDAM — Kai Havertz is returning to Arsenal for assessment after suffering a suspected muscle strain in Germany's 1-1 draw with Netherlands in their Nations League opener on Thursday in Amsterdam. The Arsenal forward pulled up after a challenge from Quinten Timber in the first half and was substituted for Younes Ebnoutalib.
The knock is understood to be a minor muscle strain, but Havertz will leave the Germany camp to be treated by Arsenal and will miss the remaining games of the international window. Germany manager Jurgen Klopp said both Havertz and Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala, who suffered a suspected thigh problem on the same night, were undergoing scans. "Both are currently undergoing an MRI," Klopp said. "I hope we get the diagnosis [on Thursday] evening. But of course, this isn't great. I hope it's nothing serious. The lads are probably out for us. But hopefully, they'll be back in action relatively quickly." Havertz and Musiala are being replaced in the squad by Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Burkardt.
Havertz has started six of Arsenal's eight games in all competitions this season, scoring three goals. The 27-year-old was limited to only seven Premier League starts last season due to knee and muscle issues and missed the final three months of the 2024/25 campaign due to a hamstring tear. Another spell out would leave Viktor Gyokeres as Arsenal's only out-and-out striking option, although Mikel Merino has also been used in the role. Arsenal resume their Premier League campaign at home to Leeds on Saturday October 10.
Arsenal are optimistic the issue is not serious and will take consolation from the early timing in the window, which leaves more than two weeks before the Leeds fixture. Concern remains given Havertz's recent history and the club's failed efforts to add another forward in the summer after well-documented pursuits of Julian Alvarez and Vinicius Junior. Gyokeres started in Havertz's absence last season and scored 21 goals in all competitions, but has had a tough start to the new campaign with only 29 Premier League minutes and a solitary shot in two starts against Napoli and Ipswich.