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Arsenal's manager has expressed confidence that his squad can persist in handling with fitness issues following confirming that star striker Kai Havertz will not return for a few more weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for Havertz

The German forward has been sidelined since August due to knee surgery. Hoped to come back sooner, Arteta revealed the player faced a hurdle when advancing his training and could not progress “the next phase.”

“We learned, and we were able to put together a squad that is far more dependable and has increased versatility,” stated the manager.

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This development leaves a selection headache for Wednesday’s match against Brentford. The manager needs to decide between continuing to use Mikel Merino, who found the net playing out of position last weekend, or bringing back Viktor Gyökeres, who featured briefly after a fitness issue as a substitute. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus remains available following a lengthy absence.

Defensive Concerns Linger

Further fitness issues affect defender William Saliba and winger Leandro Trossard, who both missed the Stamford Bridge game. As a result, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to continue in central defence for the league leaders.

Arteta believes the substantial investment on reinforcements in the last transfer window has resulted in a far better place to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Key to Title Challenge

Questioned if more options was benefiting their title quest, the manager agreed. “Yes, as this campaign has seen more issues in some areas, and now what’s happening with the backline,” he continued.

“We learned from the past that we need to utilize players in different positions, and they need to be prepared to adapt to new tasks if we want to compete at this level. And the case of Mikel Merino.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Frustrated Havertz

Speaking about the setback previously mentioned by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered further detail. “He was doing everything. He failed to advance to the subsequent stage and now it appears like we have solved that issue.”

The manager conveyed his eagerness to welcome him back. “Everyone is eager to have him. Honestly, Havertz is someone that, in my view, I admire greatly for the qualities he offers to the team, but his personality, his attitude. I watch him struggle while sidelined.”

“His availability record is outstanding, he's rarely been injured, and I can’t wait to see him return involved playing because I think it’s going to be a huge lift.”