2 weeks ago
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James OlleyMay 16, 2025, 05:30 PM ET
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says Kai Havertz has undergone a "transformation successful his body" portion being injured and claimed helium "destroyed each the metrics we had successful the gym for the past 10 years."
Havertz has been sidelined since February aft tearing his hamstring during the Gunners' warm-weather grooming interruption successful Dubai but could instrumentality successful Sunday's Premier League location crippled against Newcastle United.
It was initially unclear whether Havertz would diagnostic again this play but helium has impressed nine unit with the gait of his rehabilitation, portion immoderate fans suggested helium looked much muscular during an opening grooming league held astatine Emirates Stadium successful midweek.
"There's been a translation successful his body," said Arteta. "The past 3 years successful his vocation person been truthful condensed that helium hasn't had clip to bash that and this has been a model and helium truly wanted to usage it.
"To beryllium fair, the unit and however they person explained the accidental that is wrong with his physique to spell to a antithetic level and the things that helium tin amended and it tin adjacent assistance him mentally arsenic good arsenic being much effectual arsenic a player.
"He got connected committee with that, helium worked hard, got connected committee with that, you tin spot his beingness and I deliberation helium destroyed each the metrics that we had successful the gym for the past 10 years.
"Power, acceleration, musculus mass, the mode that helium has accrued definite capacities successful his body, his agility, he's been incredible. I was talking to the aesculapian unit the different time and they were talking astir that.
"It's been a phenomenal effort from each of them nether the circumstances. Last location crippled is ever a peculiar juncture and it is our accidental to wrapper up Champions League qualification.
"For idiosyncratic that is not successful the squad to person that mindset, the lone happening helium has done is rise the standards successful the gathering due to the fact that the different ones successful the gathering who are injured were looking astatine him, 'I'm going to look atrocious if I don't bash the same' truthful that's portion of the culture.
"And precise grateful due to the fact that erstwhile the players that are not playing are doing that, it's conscionable raising the barroom for the adjacent 1 to come. If helium is not astatine that level helium is going to get exposed truthful that volition marque america better."
Arsenal privation to bring successful a striker this summertime with sources telling ESPN that RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyökeres and Newcastle's Alexander Isak are nether information -- placing Havertz's relation successful the squad successful doubt.
Havertz is inactive Arsenal's apical goalscorer successful the league with 9 to his sanction truthful acold and Arteta said: "One of the biggest qualities with Kai is his versatility and his extremity menace whenever helium plays and he's truthful intelligent. He volition play arsenic a No. 9, helium volition play arsenic an attacking midfielder and helium volition beryllium ace important for america arsenic a team."
