Arsenal star to overlook north London Derby after ANOTHER harm setback – with membership officers involved over his long-term health

Arsenal star Kai Havertz is set to miss the north London derby against Tottenham next weekend after picking up another injury issue. 

Havertz has recently enjoyed a positive run of form in the side after suffering an injury on the opening day of the season, but his latest setback is a blow amid concerns over his long-term fitness from club officials.

As first reported by Daily Mail Sport in January, there have been concerns over the German’s long-term fitness after his knee flared up on his return from injury – with the club forced to limit the striker’s minutes to give him the best chance of playing a key role this season.

Havertz had surgery a week after his injury against United and, as Daily Mail Sport reported in December, the German was one week away from returning to a matchday squad in November before picking up an issue in his final training sessions.

It is now understood that Havertz had re-injured the same knee he injured at Old Trafford – a devastating setback for the forward and one which led to another phase of rehab.

Now, he is set to miss at least Arsenal’s next three league games – on Thursday against Brentford, next week against Wolves, and the crunch derby clash with Tottenham next weekend.

Havertz returned to action against Portsmouth in the FA Cup on January 11, and has scored twice in four games since.

After his player of the match performance against Kairat in the Champions League, Mikel Arteta said of the forward: ‘The team knows how important Kai is for us and how he can help the team to be much better and take the team to another level.

‘Let’s bring him on board and make sure we use him in the right way because he is going to be really important for us in the second part of the season.’