Arsenal hit by injury scare as Kai Havertz drops out of Germany squad

Arsenal forward Kai Havertz has withdrawn from Germany's squad for their upcoming Nations League games during the October international squad due to a knee injury.

The former Chelsea attacker has been in remarkable form at the start of the 2024/25 season, helping the north London giants to a fast start both in the Premier League and Champions League. Havertz grabbed his fourth goal in as many games on Saturday, dragging Arsenal level in an eventual 3-1 success over Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.

That was his sixth club strike in all competitions already this term but manager Mikel Arteta will be sweating over his fitness during the next few weeks before they resume their title bid away at Bournemouth later this month.

A post on X from Germany's national team reads: "Kai Havertz will miss the upcoming international matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Netherlands due to knee problems."

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta had waxed lyrical over Havertz after the 3-1 win, saying: "When he's practising, he wants more and he's not satisfied with what he's doing because there is still, I think, another level from him. Obviously, he's surrounded by incredible players but something has changed in him and that confidence, you really sense it and now he's putting it into games and he's winning football matches which is great."

Arsenal were missing a number of key first-team stars on Saturday, with Jurrien Timber and Ben White failing to make the matchday squad. However, the defensive pair will hope to be available again once club football resumes, while captain Martin Odegaard is also expected to return in late October.

However, there were fitness boosts elsewhere as summer signing Mikel Merino made his second Arsenal appearance and Takehiro Tomiyasu played for the first time this season.

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP