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Kai Havertz Injury Update
Kai Havertz is still out for Arsenal with that stubborn knee injury from the opening‑day clash at Old Trafford, and the latest word is that he’s not expected back before early to mid‑January. He damaged his knee against Manchester United on 17 August, underwent a minor operation a week later, and what was first framed as a fairly routine recovery has dragged into a four‑month saga that’s testing everyone’s patience a bit. Football Tweet (@Footballtweet) reported on X that Arsenal attacker Kai Havertz is expected to be out until early to mid-January after suffering a setback during his recovery from minor knee surgery.
Reports over the last 24 hours say he actually suffered a setback when he was close to re‑joining full training in November, forcing Arsenal’s medical staff to slow everything down again rather than gamble on a half‑fit return during the festive schedule. It’s the sort of situation fans know too well: one week he’s “getting closer,” the next week the calendar has quietly shifted to “after New Year,” and suddenly that opening‑day cameo feels like it happened in a different season.
There’s also some emotional fatigue around Havertz’s fitness because last season already included a hamstring surgery that was meant to bleed into pre‑season, only for him to accelerate the comeback and play a big role in Arsenal’s run‑in. It almost feels like his Arsenal story keeps swinging between “on fire” and “on the treatment table,” with not much boring middle ground in between.
When Will Kai Havertz Return?
Right now, the realistic target is early to mid‑January, with most outlets pointing to either the Liverpool league game on 8 January or the FA Cup third‑round tie against Portsmouth a few days later as his likely comeback window. The more cautious voices think cup minutes off the bench make more sense than dropping him straight into a high‑intensity league showdown after so long out, which, to be honest, sounds like the kind of sensible decision fans only appreciate after it works. DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) reported on X that Kai Havertz is set to be out until early to mid-January following an injury setback last month.
Mikel Arteta has kept the language deliberately vague, repeatedly calling it “a matter of weeks” and stressing that Havertz is back doing work on the pitch but still not at the level needed for full contact training. That’s classic manager code for “he’s progressing, don’t ask me for a precise date,” and it fits with reports that he “could not go to the next level” during an earlier phase of rehab before this latest reset.
In practical terms, supporters are circling that second week of January on the calendar:
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If everything goes smoothly, Havertz could be in the squad for Liverpool away, even if only as a late sub.
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If Arsenal stay ultra‑careful, the Portsmouth FA Cup tie looks like the softer landing spot for his first proper minutes back.
Either way, the expectation now is that he does feature in that early‑January block, rather than drifting into another “maybe next month” situation that drives fantasy managers and fans up the wall.
Kai Havertz Stats
Before this injury‑hit campaign, Havertz had quietly built one of his most productive league seasons, finishing 2024‑25 with 9 goals and 3 assists in 23 Premier League appearances for Arsenal. Across all competitions in that span he reached double figures for goals and added a steady stream of link‑up play that doesn’t always show up beyond the basic numbers, which is partly why his absence now feels bigger than just “one forward missing.”
Historically, he has tended to warm into seasons. Last yea,r he ended with 13 goals and 7 assists in the league, a personal best in terms of direct goal contributions and a big reason Arsenal pushed deep into the title race. That context explains the mild panic around the fanbase: losing a tall, versatile forward who finally looked settled in the system is like misplacing the one multi‑tool in the drawer that actually does everything properly.
For now, Havertz’s 2025‑26 stat line is basically a blank page because that short August appearance against United was cut short by the knee issue and surgery soon after. The real question isn’t just how many goals he’ll end up with, but how quickly he can shake off four months of rust once January finally gives him a proper chance to start scribbling numbers on the board again.
Disclaimer
This Kai Havertz injury update is based on publicly available match reports and news coverage and may change as new medical or club information emerges. It is not medical advice or an official Arsenal statement. Always verify with official team channels and trusted news sources before making decisions.
