Arsenal Faces Transfer Dilemma Amid Kai Havertz Injury Concern
Just a week into the new Premier League season, Arsenal is grappling with a significant injury concern involving forward Kai Havertz. He was absent from an open training session at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday due to a knee injury, the full extent of which remains uncertain. While a prognosis is still being determined, club officials are reportedly already contemplating long-term plans in Havertz`s potential absence.
Reports from The Athletic suggest Arsenal is actively seeking a replacement for Havertz in the transfer market. This proactive approach underscores concerns about the team`s depth, particularly if the German international is sidelined for an extended period. Viktor Gyokeres started ahead of Havertz in Sunday`s 1-0 victory against Manchester United and was expected to be a primary forward option this season. However, with Gabriel Jesus still recovering from an ACL injury, cover in the attacking line would be critically thin without Havertz.
The specific targets for a new forward remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, the situation evokes memories of last season`s struggles, even after the acquisition of Gyokeres was meant to address previous attacking deficiencies. Injuries to both Jesus and Havertz previously forced Mikel Merino into an unfamiliar forward role late in the season, emphasizing the clear need for a dedicated goalscorer.
Should this knee injury prove serious, it would compound a challenging year for Havertz. He previously sustained a hamstring injury during a February training session in Dubai, which limited him to just two substitute appearances and a mere 33 minutes of play for the remainder of that season. In Sunday`s match at Old Trafford, he played 30 minutes, replacing Gyokeres as Arsenal maintained their first-half lead.
UEFA Champions League Qualifiers: Upsets and High Stakes Across Europe
The decisive final round of UEFA Champions League qualifiers commenced with an exhilarating Tuesday, witnessing Club Brugge, Qarabag, and Pafos FC secure crucial first-leg advantages, with some outcomes proving more surprising than others.
Qarabag, based in Azerbaijan, established a strong 3-1 lead to take into next week`s second leg, following a decisive win in Budapest against Robbie Keane`s Ferencvaros. Similarly, Club Brugge achieved an impressive 3-1 away victory over Rangers in Glasgow. The Scottish side, considered underdogs against a team that reached the Champions League round of 16 last season, delivered an uncharacteristically lethargic performance, finding themselves 3-0 down within just 20 minutes. This display was met with audible displeasure from the Rangers supporters at the final whistle, prompting new manager Russell Martin to suggest that “pain is the precursor to change.”
The most significant upset on Tuesday occurred in Belgrade, where perennial Champions League participants Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cypriot newcomers Pafos FC. Joao Correia netted an early goal for Pafos in the opening minute, with two second-half penalties—one for each side—completing the scoreline. This marks a remarkable achievement for Pafos, the reigning Cypriot champions, who made their European debut only last season and advanced to the UEFA Conference League semifinals. While the victory margin in Belgrade means they still face a challenge in next week`s home leg, Pafos is on track to potentially become the first Cypriot team to reach the Champions League group stage since APOEL`s appearance in the 2017-18 season.
The qualification drama continued on Wednesday with a diverse set of matches, highlighted by Benfica`s visit to Fenerbahce. Jose Mourinho aims to guide Fenerbahce to their first Champions League group stage appearance since 2008-09, and his first in six years, but must overcome his former club to do so. Benfica provided Mourinho with his inaugural managerial role nearly 25 years ago. Despite the two-time Champions League winner boasting a strong historical record against his former employers, Mourinho emphasized the irrelevance of past results on Tuesday, given Fenerbahce`s underdog status in this tie.
Mourinho: “I always beat Benfica because my teams were better than Benfica. My Porto were much better than Benfica. My Manchester United were better than Benfica. My Unido de Leiria at the time, maybe it was better than Benfica, and that is why my teams have defeated Benfica many times. But I do not think that you can find any relationship in those results. Benfica, today, is a top team. It is a powerful team. It`s a team with status and many players with great experience. … I think it is only the press that remembers those results because I do not think that anyone at Benfica is worried about me, personally, having good results against Benfica.”
Wednesday`s remaining fixtures included Celtic`s encounter with Kazakhstan`s Kairat, UEFA Europa League semifinalists Bodo/Glimt taking on Sturm Graz, and Basel facing Copenhagen. Similar to Pafos, teams like Kairat and Bodo/Glimt are also striving for their inaugural Champions League season.
