Key Points
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes Kai Havertz will return “very soon,” potentially in a matter of days or weeks, following knee surgery in August and subsequent setbacks.​
- Jurrien Timber suffered an injury in the closing stages of the penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup and was absent from the subsequent matchday squad; his availability for Aston Villa remains uncertain
- Havertz has been sidelined since the opening Premier League match against Manchester United on August 17, 2025, requiring minor knee surgery a week later, with a recent setback delaying his return to early to mid-January.​
- William Saliba is dealing with an ankle injury aggravated since August, missing recent games including the draw against Chelsea; Arteta described it as minor but requiring careful management.​
- Gabriel has been out with a muscle injury since the November international break, expected back by late December or early January.​
- Other injured players include Gabriel Jesus (recovering from ACL tear, recently returned to training), Martin Odegaard (knee/MCL and shoulder issues), and mentions of Noni Madueke (knee), among others like Ben White and Bukayo Saka.​
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided optimistic yet cautious updates on key injuries ahead of crucial fixtures, highlighting hopes for Kai Havertz’s imminent return while confirming Jurrien Timber’s latest setback. The Gunners face mounting pressure from an injury list that includes defenders William Saliba and Gabriel, alongside longer-term absentees. Arteta emphasised careful management to avoid further disruptions during a congested schedule.
What Has Happened to Kai Havertz?
As reported by Gooner News, Kai Havertz underwent knee surgery in August following an injury sustained just 30 minutes into Arsenal’s opening Premier League fixture against Manchester United on August 17, 2025. The German international faced further setbacks, including a relapse noted by Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann last month, pushing his recovery timeline.​
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stated, as quoted in the original update,
“I think it will be a matter of days, if not weeks. Let’s see in the next step how he responds to that.”
Arteta added,
“He’s a player that we missed a lot, a player that brings the team into a different dimension. So, I’m really happy to have him back very soon.”
According to AFTV, citing The Daily Mail, Havertz was nearly back in November but suffered a fresh problem in final training sessions, resetting expectations to early to mid-January, with the FA Cup tie against Portsmouth on January 11 as a likely return point. NowArsenal reported that Havertz targets a pre-2025 end return, managed carefully post-Nagelsmann’s comments. The Sun’s coverage from December 2 noted Arteta confirming a setback, saying,
“Let’s observe how things evolve in the upcoming weeks. He is progressing well and engaging in activities on the field, but I believe he requires some additional time.”​
Why Is Jurrien Timber Missing Matches?
Jurrien Timber picked up an injury in the last part of the Carabao Cup penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace, as explained by Mikel Arteta:
“We missed him because in the last part of the game, he felt something and he could not carry on, so he’s out.”
[query source] It remains unclear if Timber will feature against Aston Villa on Tuesday.[query source]
Football.London reported on December 10 that Timber missed the Champions League clash with Club Brugge due to a ‘bad kick’ over the weekend, too severe for quick recovery, despite playing all five prior Champions League games and 13 of 15 Premier League matches. Another Football.London piece from December 12 noted Timber’s knock against Aston Villa led to his absence midweek, with Arteta stating availability for Wolves depends on training.​
Earlier, in October 2024, Arteta described Timber post-Champions League win over PSG:
“He was unbelievable in the first half, but he felt something muscular and he wasn’t certain. So I didn’t want to take any risks. He’s been out for a year and he’s played a lot of minutes.”
By May 2025, Timber had returned from an ACL injury, playing for U21s ahead of Bournemouth.​
What Is William Saliba’s Injury Status?
Football.London detailed on December 13 that William Saliba missed four games after aggravating an August ankle issue, with Arteta confirming last week he was “days” away but revealing it altered his running style, causing discomfort. The SI.com update from December 12 quoted Arteta admitting a setback: the centre-back could not train for weeks post-Chelsea draw.​
The New York Times’ The Athletic reported on December 12 that Saliba, absent four games after 90 minutes versus Bayern Munich in late November, faces uncertainty for Wolves, with Arteta saying:
“It was something relatively minor. It stemmed from an ankle injury he sustained, which subsequently altered his running style… It appears to be improving.”
The Sun on December 2 noted Saliba unlikely for Brentford due to a minor issue, distinct from Gabriel’s adductor problem.​
When Might Gabriel Return to Action?
Pain in the Arsenal on December 18 stated Gabriel has missed weeks with a muscle injury from the November international break, nearing return by late December or early January, with Arteta positive. Daily Cannon’s December 26 table lists Gabriel Jesus with ACL (55 matches missed), but Gabriel (defender) under muscular issues implicitly.​
Standard.co.uk in May 2025 noted Gabriel out for the campaign with hamstring, crucial alongside Riccardo Calafiori’s knee issue. The Sun referenced Gabriel potentially out two months with adductor.​
Who Are the Other Four Injured Players?
Daily Cannon’s injury table on December 26 lists additional players: Gabriel Jesus (ACL, 55 matches missed, recently training per Mirror.co.uk December 1, where Arteta said:
“Very good. He’s been training with the team for almost two weeks… He looks really good.”);
Martin Odegaard (shoulder x2, knee, 12 missed; ESPN October 5 confirmed MCL pulling him from Norway squad.); Noni Madueke (knee, 11 missed); Ben White (knock, hamstring, 5 missed).​
Sporting News September 23 outlined Odegaard and Madueke timelines into November, Jesus ACL mid-October target post-January tear. Standard.co.uk October 7 detailed Odegaard’s knee from West Ham clash: hooked after knocking knees with Crysencio Summerville. NowArsenal October 20 on Jesus targeting December full training post-ACL.​
How Is Arsenal Managing the Injury Crisis?
Mikel Arteta described this season as “worse” per The Sun December 2, corroborating Havertz and Saliba issues. Football.London May 2025 showed decreasing absentees ahead of final games. Arteta on Timber in October 2024 stressed risk management post-year out.​
Gooner News highlighted Havertz missing next five fixtures minimum: Everton, Palace, Brighton, Villa, Bournemouth. The Athletic November 28 noted Jesus “very close” but cautious after 11 months out. Arteta on Jorginho (rib, May 2025):
“He’s got a bit more complicated than expected… I think so [back before season end].”​
Arsenal’s medical team targets phased returns, balancing title push and Champions League amid winter demands. Supporters await clarity post-training, with fixtures like Villa testing squad depth.
