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Wasn't this whole Dubai venture meant to save our season, not leave us without a single striker?
Well, we can't exactly blame the Middle Eastern paradise for the Arsenal's shocking inactivity during the January transfer window which means the Gunners have no obvious deputy for Kai Havertz and without alternatives in wide areas.
Bukayo Saka tore his hamstring before Christmas and Gabriel Jesus ruptured his ACL at the start of January. We even had to endure most of last month without Saka stand-in Ethan Nwaneri due to a muscle complaint. During the busiest time of the season, Mikel Arteta has had no choice but to roll out the same options game after game.
Gabriel Martinelli's workload rendered a muscle complaint inevitable, and reports suggest we're going to lose Kai Havertz for a period, too. As it stands, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and Nwaneri, a converted attacking midfielder, are Arsenal's only available options in attacking areas.
Misfortune made inevitable by an unwillingness to act in the market.
Kai Havertz injury latest amid reports of Dubai setback
EXC: Arsenal striker Kai Havertz suffers worrying muscular injury scare on the club’s winter training camp in Dubai. Sources indicating the issue is hamstring related, but full diagnosis unconfirmed. Players and staff returning from UAE today. Story: https://t.co/PK80041HbX
— Sami Mokbel (@SamiMokbel81_DM) February 11, 2025
A FA Cup third round exit to Manchester United opened up a free weekend for Arsenal to return to Dubai, with the refresh arriving ahead of a quieter run of games.
However, the reset so far hasn't been the serene, news-free one we were hoping for. On Friday, Martinelli's hamstring injury was confirmed to be serious enough to keep him out for a month, and we've since received news that Havertz may have suffered a similar knock during the training camp.
The Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel exclusively reports that the forward sustained the injury earlier this week, although the severity of the potential setback is not yet known. Any hamstring issue, however, will see Havertz miss time.
The German perpetually divides opinion in north London, but his importance to Arteta can't be denied. His absence would be hard felt at the best of times, let alone now. Only David Raya, Gabriel, and William Saliba have played more minutes for Arsenal across all competitions than Havertz (2,854).
With options scarce, Arteta can either go with a false nine in Trossard, Nwaneri or Sterling, or adopt a completely different approach. Split-strikers maybe, I don't know. Big Gab up top? Martin Braithwaite on an emergency loan? Barcelona did it a few years back.
Arsenal's winter inactivity only looks more costly with each passing day.