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Mikel Arteta feels assured that his squad can keep managing with injury setbacks after revealing that attacker Kai Havertz remains out for the coming weeks.

Prolonged Recovery for German Star

The German forward has been out since August following an operation on his knee. Originally slated to come back sooner, the manager stated the player encountered a problem when stepping up his training and was unable to move forward “the next phase.”

“We took lessons, and managed to assemble a squad that is far more dependable and has increased versatility,” Arteta said.

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This update leaves a selection headache for the midweek home game against Brentford. A decision is required between persisting with Mikel Merino, who got a goal playing out of position on Sunday, or reinstating Viktor Gyökeres, who featured briefly from a muscle injury off the bench. Veteran striker Gabriel Jesus is an option after 11 months out.

Fitness Doubts Persist

Further fitness issues surround centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who were absent for the weekend encounter. Consequently, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié will probably keep their places in the heart of the defence for the league leaders.

The manager is convinced the £250m spend on new players in the last transfer window has placed the club in a far better place to handle such unavailability.

Squad Depth Vital for Premier League Pursuit

Questioned if increased squad depth was benefiting their championship push, his response was positive. “Absolutely, because this season has been worse in the attacking line, and now the situation with the backline,” he continued.

“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in different positions, and they must be capable to fulfil different roles if we are to fight at this level. And the example of Mikel is probably the prime illustration.”

Arteta's Support for Frustrated Star

Speaking about the delay previously mentioned by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta provided additional context. “His recovery was progressing. He was unable to progress to the subsequent stage and now the signs are like we have solved that issue.”

Arteta expressed his eagerness to see him return. “We’re all desperate to have him. Truly, he is a footballer who, for me, I admire greatly for what he brings to the team, but his mentality, his attitude. I watch him struggle on the sidelines.”

“His playing record is outstanding, he’s been always available, and I look forward to see him return around the team playing because I think it’s going to be a massive boost.”