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Mikel Arteta has expressed confidence that his squad can keep managing with fitness issues following revealing that star striker Kai Havertz will not return for a few more weeks.

Extended Absence for German Star

Havertz has been out since the summer after undergoing an operation on his knee. Initially expected to be available sooner, Arteta explained the player encountered a problem when advancing his rehabilitation and failed to reach “to the next level.”

“We learned, and we were able to put together a squad that is considerably steadier and has greater depth,” stated the manager.

Selection Dilemma for Brentford Clash

This development creates a selection headache for the midweek home game against Brentford. A decision is required between sticking with 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 post-recovery.

Defensive Concerns Persist

Additional concerns affect centre-back William Saliba and attacker Leandro Trossard, who sat out the weekend encounter. Therefore, summer signings Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapié are likely to continue in the heart of the defence for the Premier League front-runners.

Arteta believes the significant outlay on squad depth in the last transfer window has left Arsenal in a much stronger position to navigate such unavailability.

Squad Depth Vital for Premier League Pursuit

In response if a larger pool of players was aiding their championship push, his response was positive. “Indeed, because this season has been worse in some areas, and now the situation with the backline,” he noted.

“We learned from the past that we must deploy players in various roles, and they have to be able to adapt to new tasks if we are to fight at the highest level. And the case of Mikel is probably the prime illustration.”

Manager’s Sympathy for Suffering Star

Commenting on the setback previously mentioned by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, Arteta offered additional context. “He was doing everything. He was unable to progress to the subsequent stage and now the signs are like we have overcome that hurdle.”

The manager conveyed his eagerness to have him back. “The team is keen to have him. Truly, it’s a player that, in my view, I value highly for what he brings to the team, but his character, his personality. I observe his frustration on the sidelines.”

“His fitness history is outstanding, he's rarely been injured, and I can’t wait to see him return around the team playing because I think it’s going to be a massive boost.”