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MIKEL ARTETA EXPLAINS HAVERTZ’S "RECORD-BREAKING" BODY TRANSFORMATION AMID 2025 INJURY WOES

Kai Havertz is back! Fans speculate on his "slimmer" physique after Mikel Arteta claimed he broke every gym record.

Mikel Arteta Explains Havertz’s "Record-Breaking" Body Transformation Amid 2025 Injury Woes
Kai Havertz Spotted at London Colney

Kai Havertz, who's barely played this season with just one appearance, is back training with the Gunners. He’s been out since August with a knee problem and missed the latter half of 2024/25 because of a hamstring injury. It’s been a while since he started a league game for Mikel Arteta—almost a year, since that 5-1 win against Manchester City on February 2, 2025.

Fans online were happy to see Havertz in recent training photos the club shared, since he's been out of sight for so long this past year. Plus, they've noticed he looks different.

Fans Think Havertz Might Have Missed Gym Sessions

When Havertz came back from his hamstring injury in the summer pre-season, lots of fans were surprised by his body change; he'd clearly put on muscle while he was recovering.

Some fans commented, "He looks like the old Havertz again." Others said, "I thought I was the only one who noticed!" Someone else wrote, "It's alright, tbh." He’s probably still a bit bigger than in 23/24.

One idea about why he looks different was that he probably realised his body and knees don’t do well with that much muscle, which led to injuries.

Some people weren't so sure about the change. One fan said, "He seems to have lost all that muscle he gained." He looks like he did when he first joined, which isn't great.

Arteta Said Why Havertz Got Bigger This Summer

His body has changed. The last few years have been so packed that he didn't have time to work on it, so this was a chance he wanted to take.

The staff told him he could really improve his physique, and he was up for it. You can see his presence, and he beat all our gym records from the past decade. Everything: power, speed, muscle, you name it. He's improved his body and his agility; it's been amazing.

Here’s what he looked like this summer before his injury:

So, it'll be interesting to see if he gets back in that kind of shape as he gets back to full fitness over the next few months.

THE NEXT STAR: WHY ARSENAL BELIEVE ANTONIO NUSA IS THEIR ULTIMATE ATTACKING SPARK

Arsenal lead the race for Antonio Nusa! Read about the €60m valuation and why Liverpool and Man Utd are also tracking the winger.

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Arsenal Step Up Scouting For €60m Rated Leipzig Star Antonio Nusa

Arsenal have had their eye on Antonio Nusa for a while now, gearing up for a big summer as they look to beef up the squad. Nusa, the Norwegian forward lighting up the Bundesliga, has turned into one of the league’s most exciting attackers lately. Rumours are flying that he’s ready for a new challenge once the season wraps up.

Playing for RB Leipzig, Nusa keeps delivering quick, creative, and always a threat up front. He’s become a huge part of Leipzig’s attack, and clubs all over Europe are taking notice. Arsenal’s scouts haven’t missed a beat, tracking his progress and weighing up whether he’s the spark their attack needs.

Liverpool isn’t sitting this one out either. They already checked in on Nusa during the last transfer window, after missing out on Antoine Semenyo. So, Arsenal won’t be alone once the season ends; expect some serious competition from their Premier League rivals, which just makes the whole thing trickier.

Lately, Arsenal has stepped up its scouting. Fussball Daten says Nusa is now one of their main targets, and they’ve sent multiple scouts to keep tabs on him. This isn’t just a passing interest; they’re serious about landing a top attacking talent.

Leipzig, for their part, seems to know what’s coming. They’re bracing themselves for offers and are likely to set a firm asking price for Nusa. That should give Arsenal and Liverpool a better sense of what it’ll take to get a deal done.

Nusa won’t come cheap. He’s young, talented, and keeps getting better in Germany, so Leipzig will want a big fee. Still, both Arsenal and Liverpool have shown they’re willing to spend to get the right player. Money probably won’t be the thing that stops them.

If Nusa keeps playing the way he has been, Arsenal and Liverpool look ready to match Leipzig’s demands and go all-in for one of their top summer targets.

ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE: SALIBA FACES FITNESS TEST WHILE MIKEL MERINO UNDERGOES MAJOR SURGERY

Arsenal face an injury crisis! Read the latest on William Saliba’s illness, Kai Havertz’s muscle injury, and Mikel Merino’s surgery.

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Havertz, Saliba, And Merino Injury Updates Ahead Of Arsenal vs Wigan

Arsenal are heading into a packed stretch of games, and injuries are starting to pile up. Fans are on edge, waiting to hear what’s happening with William Saliba and Kai Havertz. There’s an FA Cup clash with Wigan coming up, plus some huge Premier League matches, so Mikel Arteta has his hands full trying to keep the squad sharp and the momentum going.

That 1-1 draw at Brentford helped settle things a bit, especially with Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard all back in the lineup. Their return lifted the mood, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty around a few players who could make or break Arsenal’s short-term hopes.

Let’s start with Saliba. He’s a rock in the back line, and his absence at Brentford was obvious, even though Cristhian Mosquera stepped up. Saliba trained earlier in the week, but illness kept him out of the game. Now, everyone’s hoping he’ll be fit for the FA Cup tie, especially with the north London derby against Spurs right after. Arteta knows that a steady defence is everything when the season gets tough, and Saliba’s calmness on the ball is now a big part of how Arsenal builds up play. If he’s back in time, it’s a big boost heading into a run of games that could shape the rest of their season.

Then there’s Havertz. He’d just started finding his rhythm again after dealing with a knee problem, only to pick up another setback – a muscle injury this time. He hasn’t played since the opening-day win over Manchester United, and now it looks like he’ll miss more games. Havertz brings a lot of flexibility up front, and he’s great at pulling defenders around. Losing him, especially when there’s a derby and a busy league schedule, means Arteta has to shuffle his attack. Right now, it looks like Havertz will sit out against Wigan, Wolves, and Spurs, with a possible return against Chelsea in early March. Getting him fit again is going to be key if Arsenal want to keep scoring goals.

Midfield depth has taken a hit, too, with Mikel Merino out after foot surgery. Arsenal confirmed he’s sidelined for a while, and Arteta opened up about just how tricky this injury is.

“There’s uncertainty because the recovery time isn’t well understood, as there’s no history of this type of injury. It’s a stress fracture, not the toes; it’s deeper than that. It’s not something that’s well documented, so there’s a lot of doubt about his recovery.”

Arteta added, “Doctors were really happy. But with bone healing, you need patience. We’re talking months three, four, maybe five. We just don’t know yet.”

Basically, Arsenal are bracing for a long wait with Merino.

There’s at least one bright spot: Max Dowman is almost ready to come back after his ankle injury. The 16-year-old has been out for two months, but he’s getting close. Arteta kept it simple before the Brentford match: “He’s doing really well, about a week away.” If Dowman makes it back in time for the Tottenham game, he could give the team a much-needed jolt during a tough stretch.

With Saliba’s fitness still up in the air and Havertz sidelined again, Arsenal’s depth is about to get a real test. The next few weeks will show just how well Arteta can keep things on track while juggling injuries and trying to stay in the hunt on all fronts.

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