As Arsenal brace for a pivotal summer transfer window, the future of Kai Havertz, their versatile German star, has become a focal point of debate. The Gunners, reeling from a season derailed by injuries and a lack of firepower, have made a decisive call on Havertz’s role at the Emirates, even as they prepare to splash out on a marquee striker. Mikel Arteta’s squad, once buoyed by Havertz’s promise as a 20-goal-a-season talisman, now faces a critical juncture, with the club opting to retain the 25-year-old despite his season-ending injury and the looming arrival of a new No. 9. “He has been unbelievable,” Arteta enthused earlier this season, praising Havertz’s “football brain” and “work ethic.” Yet, the decision to stick with him raises questions about how he’ll fit into a revamped attack.
Havertz’s 2024-25 campaign was a tale of triumph cut short by tragedy. After a stellar first full season at Arsenal, where he notched 13 Premier League goals and seven assists, the former Chelsea man emerged as the club’s leading scorer with 15 goals across all competitions before disaster struck. A torn hamstring sustained during a midseason training camp in Dubai required surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. “We can confirm that Kai Havertz has sustained a hamstring injury during a training session in Dubai last week,” the club announced, confirming the devastating blow. With Gabriel Jesus also out due to an ACL injury and Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka nursing hamstring issues, Arsenal’s attacking options have been decimated, exposing the folly of their January transfer window inaction.
The Gunners’ decision to forgo a striker signing in January, banking on Havertz’s durability, has backfired spectacularly. “Arsenal took a clear and collective decision not to invest last month,” one report noted, a gamble that now haunts Arteta as his side trails Liverpool by six points in the Premier League with 14 games left. The club’s summer 2024 strategy, which prioritized signings like Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino over forwards like Benjamin Sesko, further compounded the issue. Sesko, who rejected Arsenal due to fears of being second-choice to Havertz, has since shone at RB Leipzig, leaving fans to rue what might have been. “I had a good first year at RB Leipzig and am incredibly happy to be here,” Sesko said, underscoring his decision to stay put.
Despite Havertz’s absence, Arsenal are resolute in their commitment to him. The club views his versatility—capable of playing as a striker, false nine, or attacking midfielder—as a long-term asset. “He certainly has all the qualities and certainly has the ambition to do that,” Arteta said of Havertz’s potential to become a 20-goal striker, a belief that persists despite his current sidelining. However, the imminent signing of a new striker—names like Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen, and Viktor Gyokeres top the list—poses a challenge. “Arsenal plan remains the same: find internal solutions and focus on big signing in the summer,” an insider revealed, with Isak and Sesko as favored targets. The £68 million generated from selling strikers Folarin Balogun, Eddie Nketiah, and Mika Biereth will fund this pursuit, but Havertz’s role remains uncertain.
Speculation about Havertz’s future has swirled, with some suggesting a return to midfield or even a departure if a new striker overshadows him. “As Arsenal prepares to spend big money on a new striker this summer, the future of Havertz at the club is up for debate,” one analyst observed. His struggles in midfield early in his Arsenal tenure, where he was criticized for failing to replace Granit Xhaka, contrast with his late-season brilliance as a false nine in 2023-24. Yet, his missed chances in key moments have fueled doubts about his suitability as a natural goalscorer. “Havertz is a tidy player who often drops deep to spray the ball out wide or lay off to his midfielders, but every time he does that, there is nobody in the box to aim for,” a pundit noted, advocating for a more traditional No. 9 like Gyokeres.
For now, Arsenal are banking on internal options like Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri to fill the void, with Mikel Merino even deployed as a makeshift forward. The decision not to pursue free agents, despite Havertz’s injury, reflects Arteta’s faith in his squad and a laser focus on a transformative summer. “Mikel Arteta is determined to find internal solutions until the summer, when an investment will be made on a striker,” a report confirmed. As the Gunners chase Champions League glory and a Premier League resurgence, Havertz’s return next season will be pivotal—whether as a starter, a hybrid creator, or a luxury substitute in a newly fortified attack.