Arsenal could replace Havertz with a 17-year-old who has 0 senior minutes

When it rains, it pours, and that is actually been the case for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s facet have endured harm after harm to date this yr, and based mostly on preliminary reviews from final evening, Kai Havertz is the newest participant set to spend a while on the sidelines.

The German worldwide has supposedly suffered a hamstring harm whereas on the membership’s coaching journey in Dubai, though the extent of the issue continues to be unknown.

The previous Chelsea ace has are available in for loads of criticism at factors this season however has nonetheless produced 20 purpose involvements in simply 34 video games, so changing his output may show difficult, though a teenager within the academy may very well be one possibility.

Arsenal’s first-team choices to exchange Havertz

If Arteta goes to show to his already depleted first-team choices to attempt to remedy the issue of Havertz’s absence, then there are doubtless a few routes he may go down, the primary of which is beginning Leandro Trossard or Raheem Sterling down the center.

Now, out of the 2 wingers, it actually feels extra doubtless that he’d transfer the Belgian into the center, as whereas he is by no means appeared fully comfy there for the North Londoners, his numbers are fairly spectacular: 4 targets and eight assists in 15 appearances.

In distinction, whereas the Englishman has spent extra time down the center in his profession thus far, he is solely made one look there for the Gunners, and contemplating he is scored one purpose and offered two assists in 18 appearances this season, he isn’t somebody you need in these goalscoring positions.

The second and extra unlikely method the supervisor may handle this downside throughout the first workforce is by transferring the sensationally gifted Ethan Nwaneri from the appropriate to up prime.

In spite of everything, solely a few months in the past, Arteta advised the press how he sees a future wherein the teenage dynamo develops into an out-and-out 9.

Furthermore, on prime of already scoring seven targets this season, the Enfield-born star has made 9 appearances down the center within the youth sides, wherein he scored 11 targets and offered two assists.

In all, it appears doubtless that Arteta will flip to the three gamers talked about above to attempt to plug the hole left by Havertz, however he may assist alleviate the load on the trio by handing one of many membership’s younger academy stars some surprising minutes within the first workforce.

The Hale Finish star who may assist exchange Havertz

Arsenal’s worryingly skinny squad has already been considerably bolstered this season by Nwaneri and the unimaginable Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Nonetheless, given the circumstances, it is likely to be time for Arteta to introduce one other academy expertise to the Emirates devoted.

Dan Casey has been part of the membership’s youth set-up for just below a decade now, and since transferring as much as the U18s squad final season, he has been spectacular.

The “very proficient” 17-year-old, as dubbed by Hale Finish knowledgeable Jeorge Fowl, is a flexible attacker, and whereas he is primarily performed in midfield throughout his time within the academy, this season has seen him make 5 of 17 appearances up prime, the place he is discovered the again of the web 4 occasions.

Nonetheless, when together with his video games in the midst of the park as nicely, the teenage prospect has managed to rack up a tally of 11 targets and one help, which is undeniably encouraging.

Now, it will be an enormous step-up to convey him into the primary workforce this season, however he is proven he is already higher than the extent he is at the moment enjoying at, and given how nicely Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri have tailored, there isn’t any purpose to suppose he could not do the identical.

Furthermore, with Sterling and Trossard within the facet, he would not have to start out too many video games; he may merely come off the bench right here and there to choose up beneficial minutes and make sure the senior gamers aren’t performed into the bottom.

Finally, Arsenal are in an attacking disaster in the intervening time, and whereas there most likely weren’t plans to introduce Casey into the primary workforce this season, the circumstances dictate he may need to be fast-tracked.