Kai Havertz has made just 20 appearances for Arsenal this season, described by manager Mikel Arteta as "A genetic powerhouse" and a "robust" player who has "destroyed metrics in the gym." However, the Gunners have not been able to call on the Germany forward's talent nearly as much as they would like. Havertz has been restricted to just 20 appearances this season, after a knee injury sustained on the opening day kept him out for four months, along with smaller muscle injuries that have disrupted his campaign.

The injury issues for Havertz began when he picked up a hamstring injury during a winter training camp in Dubai in February 2025 that required surgery and kept him out for three months. Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres in the summer for £64m, hoping both players would compete for the starting striker spot. Unfortunately, Havertz suffered a knee injury in the win against Manchester United in August and underwent another surgery that sidelined him for four months.

After recovering from the knee injury, Havertz faced two setbacks, the latest ruling him out of Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. He has completed just one full game this season—the 2-1 defeat by title rivals Manchester City last month.

So, what does the future hold for Havertz at Arsenal? He has expressed disappointment with the season, stating it has not been what he "expected it to be" and has been "stop and start." The 26-year-old described going through a major injury as a new experience, admitting he "hasn't really faced a challenge like this before." Observers noted his disappointment when he was taken off after just 34 minutes of Saturday's 1-0 win against Newcastle United.

The Gunners have faced criticism for their attacking play this season, relying heavily on set-piece goals. Havertz is one of Arteta's favorite players both on and off the pitch, and they have sorely missed his ability to link play. Since his return, he has played as both a midfielder and a forward, and Arteta has felt the absence of Havertz's versatility when attempting to break down opposing teams.

Havertz has contributed three goals and one assist in five Champions League games this season, scoring the winner in Arsenal's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting. However, he has only started one game in Europe, against Kairat Almaty in January, but was substituted at halftime to build up his match fitness. Despite his availability issues, Havertz has five goals and four assists in 20 appearances, resulting in a goal involvement of nearly one every two games, highlighting Arsenal's struggles when he is not available.

As the season has progressed, doubts have emerged about whether Gyokeres is the right fit for Arsenal, especially against elite opposition. When Havertz was fit, he scored against Manchester City, with Gyokeres on the bench—showing what might have been Arteta's strategy for significant matches if Havertz had been fit more frequently. Havertz scored by pressing City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with Arsenal's attack appearing clunky at times in his absence.

Havertz scored his fifth goal of the season in April's match against Manchester City. He will miss Saturday's home game against Fulham (17:30 BST) as Arsenal strives to pull six points clear in the title race. Arteta commented, "He has been a huge miss," emphasizing Havertz's importance as one of the team's key attacking players, mentioning he has been out for seven or eight months.

Arteta noted that Havertz isn't the only one dealing with a long-term injury and praised the team's ability to remain competitive in challenging circumstances. Havertz, who joined from Chelsea for £65m in 2023, will enter the final two years of his contract this summer, which runs until 2028. Discussions about extending his deal or evaluating interest in him this summer had been anticipated before the season, particularly if he had delivered the expected performances.

However, this process has been delayed by Gyokeres’ performances raising questions and Havertz's recent injury record affecting the likelihood of a club paying his true value. Consequently, the Gunners have been linked with strikers. Diego Simeone, manager of Atletico Madrid, commented that Arsenal is among the clubs interested in signing forward Julian Alvarez, although Arteta has refrained from commenting on that. Arteta stressed, "Now the focus has to be on availability and performance," when asked about Havertz's last two years of contract and their significance.

"Kai is desperate to be on the pitch as quickly as possible. He cannot play in this game [against Newcastle], but hopefully for Atletico, he will be available," Arteta added, looking ahead to Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at Emirates Stadium (20:00). "He is pushing every boundary to achieve that."