Mikel Arteta (almost) broke the Kai Havertz news that Arsenal fans were waiting for

Kai Havertz has been missing in action for what feels like an eternity now. It has allowed Viktor Gyökeres to jump into the first team and make a name for himself, but it's fair to say that Arsenal fans can't wait for Havertz to return.

During his time at Arsenal, Kai Havertz has established himself as a great presence in the Arsenal attack. Gyökeres has done little to push Havertz down the pecking order, so the German will be given a runout when he returns.

It is believed that Kai Havertz will return to action at the start of, or in the middle of January. He was supposed to return in November, but he received a further setback in his recovery.

Mikel Arteta provided an excellent Kai Havertz update

According to Mikel Arteta, Kai Havertz is progressing well. The Spanish coach told the press that Havertz will be with us very soon. When he is, Arteta will preserve Havertz as much as possible, so his return from injury is for the long-term.

In his own words, Mikel Arteta said: "He’s progressing really well, he will be with us very soon… we need to be cautious so when he’s back, he’s back for the long-term."

This is great news for Arsenal fans, and it's been a long time coming. The Gunners are finally seeing some key players return from their injuries, and when Havertz returns, there will be four great options for Mikel Arteta to call upon.

Viktor Gyökeres and Mikel Merino have led the line for the Gunners so far this season. Gabriel Jesus returned to action last week, and Mikel Arteta is campaigning for Gabi to push for a starting spot in the team.

Kai Havertz has what it takes to be Arsenal's starting center forward. He plays similarly to Mikel Merino, but his workrate is a lot higher than the Spaniard's. He is also capable of scoring more goals than Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Jesus.

Nevertheless, having four different options in the first team will serve Arsenal well in the second half of the season. Given the poor injury track record over the last few seasons, we can pretty much anticipate more injuries coming Arsenal's way. At least when they do, the Gunners will be prepared to rotate their squad.

Also, Kai Havertz is a Champions League winner, and Arsenal will push for that trophy this season.