‘Muscular’—Arsenal Star Suffers New Injury Setback, Set to Miss Rest of Month

The Gunners were already sweating over Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard.

More injury woes for Mikel Arteta. | Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images

Arsenal are set to be without Kai Havertz for the rest of February with the German reported to have suffered a new “muscular injury.”

Havertz is only a month into his comeback from a knee injury that forced him to miss the first half of the 2025–26 campaign. He was also sidelined for much of the second of last season after tearing a hamstring. Since returning on Jan. 12, the German has played six times and scored three goals.

The timing of Havertz’s recovery softened the blow of losing Mikel Merino for most, if not all, of the rest of the season. However, The Athletic reports that the former Chelsea player now won’t be available until after Arsenal have played the upcoming north London derby on Feb. 22.

Kai Havertz is sidelined again. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

That clash with Tottenham Hotspur won’t be the only game he missed, with the Gunners due to play Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League before then, as well as an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Wigan Athletic sandwiched between.

Arsenal are due to face Chelsea on the first day of March, with the assumption as it stands that Havertz could be available. This latest injury is not believed to be serious like his previous layoffs.

Havertz was injury free in 2023–24 off the back of his £65 million ($88.6 million) arrival, but by the end of this month will have missed over half (53) of Arsenal’s 101 games since the start of last season.

---

Arsenal Games Kai Havertz Is Set to Miss

Date	Fixture	Competition
Feb. 12, 2026	Brentford vs. Arsenal	Premier League
Feb. 15, 2026	Arsenal vs. Wigan Athletic	FA Cup
Feb. 18, 2026	Wolves vs. Arsenal	Premier League
Feb. 22, 2026	Tottenham vs. Arsenal	Premier League

---

Arsenal Under Pressure Against Brentford

Manchester City’s win against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday closed the gap at the top of the Premier League table to three points. Arsenal can push that margin back to six points as their game in hand plays out on Thursday, but they must beat Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Havertz, Merino and teenage sensation Max Dowman are definitely ruled out, while the decision to loan Ethan Nwaneri to Olympique Marseille last month looks shortsighted in hindsight, given that the 18-year-old would have the prime option to plug the holes in the team.

But there are also short-term doubts before the Brentford game about Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard, which could serve to seriously limit the team’s creativity from open play. The trio are expected to undergo late fitness assessments.

---