Kai Havertz has provided an update on his injury following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United. The 25-year-old makeshift striker suffered a hamstring problem during the Gunners’ warm-weather training camp in Dubai at the start of the year.
Following a series of tests, Havertz underwent surgery on the muscle injury before beginning a rehabilitation programme. The Germany international wasn’t expected to be back in action until the summer, but he made his return ahead of schedule.
Havertz replaced Bukayo Saka in the final quarter of an hour of Arsenal’s clash at the weekend. It didn’t take long for the former Chelsea ace to impose himself on the game, picking up a yellow card in stoppage time for a collision with Fabian Schar.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Arteta revealed that the doctors thought that it may have been ‘too early’ for Havertz. The Gunners boss said: “Kai, I mean, he’s been incredibly fast in his recovery. I think the doctors were a bit, is it too early? But he’s been pushing it, and he thought he could help the team.”
On Sunday evening, Havertz provided an update of his own. On Instagram, he wrote: “Thank you for all the support the past few months and over the season. Felt good to be back out there today!”
Ahead of Arsenal’s final home game of the season, Arteta showered Havertz with praise for his physical transformation during his extended spell on the sidelines. The Spaniard said: “There’s been a transformation in his body.
“‘The last three years in his career have been so condensed that he hasn’t had time to do that and this has been a window and he really wanted to use it. The staff explained the opportunity that is within his physique to go to a different level.
“He got on board with that. You can see his presence and I think he destroyed all the metrics that we had in the gym for the last 10 years. All of them.
“Power, acceleration, muscle mass, the way that he has increased certain capacities in his body, his agility, he’s been incredible. I was talking to the medical staff the other day and they were talking about that.
“For someone that is not in the team to have that mindset, the only thing he has done is raise the standards in the building because the other ones who are injured were looking at him [saying]: ‘I’m going to look bad if I don’t do the same.'”
This summer, Andrea Berta will be expected to bolster Arteta’s frontline. Even if the new sporting director can get his hands on either Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko, the Arsenal boss still sees Havertz as a striker.
“One of the biggest qualities with Kai is his versatility and his goal threat whenever he plays and he’s so intelligent,” said Arteta. “He will play as a number nine, he will play as an attacking midfielder and he will be super-important for us.”
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