Naglesmann reveals Havertz has suffered injury setback ahead of North London derby

Kai Havertz’s attempt to restart his Arsenal career has suffered another setback after Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed the forward has experienced a fresh issue in his recovery.

Havertz spent much of the second half of last season sidelined with a significant hamstring injury but managed to return ahead of schedule, featuring off the bench in Arsenal’s final two matches.

With increased competition for a starting place following the summer arrival of Viktor Gyokeres, the 25-year-old had been aiming to establish himself quickly when the new campaign began.

Those plans were immediately halted. After coming on as a substitute in the opening-weekend win over Manchester United, Havertz picked up a knee injury and has not played since.

Earlier this month, there had been optimism inside the club that several first-team players, including Havertz, could be available for the north London derby after the international break.

Nagelsmann signalled a change in outlook when asked about Havertz following Germany’s victory over Slovakia on Monday.

“Kai had a minor relapse on his injury, but overall, he’s doing well,” he said. “He is expected to return towards the end of the year.”

Arsenal now face the prospect of starting a key run of fixtures without two of their main forwards. Gyokeres missed the final two matches before the break with a muscular problem, and his status for next week remains uncertain.

Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli are also continuing their recoveries after their own recent absences.

Defensively, Arsenal have another significant concern. Gabriel Magalhaes is expected to be out for several weeks after limping off during Brazil’s friendly against Senegal at the weekend.

Initial assessments indicate the centre-back could miss up to two months, a major blow considering his strong form in recent months.