- Kai Havertz has been sidelined since suffering a torn hamstring in February
- The German returned to training this week and could feature against Newcastle
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Kai Havertz for his physical transformation during his recovery hamstring injury.
The German suffered a hamstring tear during the Gunners warm weather training camp in February which required surgery.
He was expected to miss the remainder of the season but returned to full training earlier this week – and could feature against Newcastle on Sunday.
And Arteta has been left impressed by how the former Chelsea forward has added muscle during his spell on the sidelines.
‘There’s been a transformation in his body,’ the Spaniard said.
‘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.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Kai Havertz for his physical transformation
Havertz was expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn hamstring
The German returned to training this week and could feature against Newcastle on Sunday
‘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.”
Arsenal have been without a recognised striker since Havertz’s injury, with Gabriel Jesus also sidelined due to a knee problem.
As a result, Mikel Arteta was forced to deploy Mikel Merino in a more advanced role.
A new No 9 is a top priority for the club this summer, with Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko among the targets – and Arteta remains hopeful that the club’s financial situation will allow for the necessary reinforcements.
‘The budget is like when you plan your wedding with your wife, [or] when you build a house … [the budget] is always more,’ Arteta added.
‘You prepare for different scenarios. Sometimes we want a player and suddenly we have an injury or that player gets injured. There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. There is always an idea of what we can do, what the priorities are going to be.’
Arteta praised Havertz, who remains Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League with nine goals in 21 appearances, for his ability to cover multiple positions.
He said: ‘One of the biggest qualities with Kai is his versatility and his goal threat whenever he plays and he’s so intelligent.
‘He will play as a No 9, he will play as an attacking midfielder and he will be super-important for us.’
