Who Could Play In Attack for Arsenal Following Hamstring Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli?

Following Kai Havertz’s season-ending hamstring injury, we’ve analysed how Mikel Arteta could set up Arsenal’s attack amid their injury crisis.

Arsenal’s Attacking Options Amid Injury Crisis

Arsenal’s attacking injury crisis is about as bad as it could get, after news broke that Kai Havertz has torn his hamstring during the team’s training camp in Dubai – sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Adding to Mikel Arteta’s selection woes, Gabriel Martinelli is also set to miss more than a month with a hamstring injury.

With Bukayo Saka out until late March and Gabriel Jesus ruled out for the season, Arsenal have a significant shortage of attacking options at their disposal.

With just Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri the only fit attackers remaining, Arteta may have to look deeper into his squad, including academy players.

Let’s look at some attacking options for Arsenal in the absence of Havertz and Martinelli.

The current injury crisis at Arsenal is crazy one. If this continues, we may end up seeing Thomas Partey on the RW.

Quick recovery Kai Havertz. pic.twitter.com/mo7ru2h8rG

— Arsenal Reveal (@Arsenal_Reveal) February 12, 2025

Trossard as the Central Striker

Handing the central striker role to Leandro Trossard seems the most straightforward and reliable option for Arteta.

The Belgian international has experience playing in a central role, most recently during Arsenal’s Champions League win over Girona.

While he lacks the aerial dominance of Havertz, Trossard’s dribbling and finishing ability make him a solid choice.

Nwaneri and Sterling could be deployed on the flanks to provide width and creativity – but with so many games still to play, the three can’t share the burden of minutes alone.

Trust in Youth

Nwaneri Leading the Line

Ethan Nwaneri has hugely impressed since breaking into the first team, scoring seven goals in all competitions this season.

Nominally an attacking midfielder, the 17-year-old has also played as a right winger and could be a bold choice to play as a central striker.

Arteta has previously hinted that Nwaneri could develop into a No.9, saying: “He has got the goal in front of him, and he looks at the goal, and he has a tremendous ability to put the ball in the back of the net.”

If Arteta truly believes this, Nwaneri could be flanked by Trossard and Sterling while incorporating some academy players off the bench.

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji

No matter who Arteta chooses to play up front, the reality is he will need to turn to some academy options at some point to avoid even more injuries.

The most likely to appear is Nathan Butler-Oyedeji – a 22-year-old forward who recently made his first-team debut in a cameo appearance in the 3-0 Champions League win over Dianamo Zagreb.

Butler-Oyedeji, who joined Arsenal’s academy at just eight years old, signed his first professional contract in 2021 after steadily rising through the ranks.

The London-born forward gained valuable experience on loan at Accrington Stanley and Cheltenham Town, making a total of 25 appearances across both spells.

This season, he has captained Arsenal’s Under-21 side in Premier League 2, delivering an impressive seven goals and six assists in 10 matches.

Butler-Oyedeji can play either as a winger or a striker, so his versatility could prove useful.

It’s time for Butler Oyedeji to rise

— Optimus Prime 🇨🇩 (@osowxvyy) February 11, 2025

Charles Sagoe Jr

Another option that some fans might recognise is Charles Sagoe Jr. The 20-year-old recently returned to the club after his loan spell at Shrewsbury was cut short.

Sagoe Jr initially joined Arsenal from Fulham in 2015 and signed his first professional contract in 2022 before penning a new deal last summer ahead of his loan move.

During his time at Shrewsbury, Sagoe Jr made 18 appearances, though he was limited to just nine starts. Prior to that, he gained experience with a loan spell at Swansea City in the Championship.

A key player for Arsenal’s academy last season, he tallied three goals and 10 assists in 16 matches. He also made his senior debut in September 2023, starting in Arsenal’s 1-0 Carabao Cup victory over Brentford.

Sagoe Jr is mainly a winger but has played as a striker on occasion.

Ismeal Kabia

Another wildcard option could be Ismeal Kabia, the 19-year-old forward who has shown promise in Arsenal’s youth setup and could be given a chance to step up and offer fresh attacking energy.

Kabia can play on either flank but is most comfortable on the right and offers an abundance of pace and a threat from crosses.

Other Names – Khanyon Edwards, Max Dowman

Some other names Arsenal fans may be familiar with: one is Khayon Edwards, who is a promising young striker, currently leading the U21 team with an impressive record of 21 goals in 48 games.

While his senior experience has been limited, he has been part of the Arsenal first-team squad in the past and made a few appearances on the bench.

Edwards’ only senior-level playing experience so far came during a loan spell at Leyton Orient last season, where he made seven appearances.

Max Dowman, on the other hand, is super highly rated within the club and has spent some time training with the first team in Dubai, despite being just 15 years old.

However, due to eligibility rules, he won’t be available to play for the senior squad for the remainder of the season, as it stands.

According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal may have the chance to request special dispensation to use Dowman given their current injury situation, but it remains uncertain if the Premier League would accept any application.

A Physical Presence Up Front – Mikel Merino?

Alternatively, Arteta could take inspiration from his playing days at Everton, where David Moyes used midfielder Marouane Fellaini as a makeshift striker amid a similar injury crisis.

Among this Arsenal squad, Mikel Merino is probably the most similar profile to Fellaini and could be deployed further forward to provide height and strength in attack.

Mikel Merino has been identified as an auxiliary striker in case of emergencies

— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) February 11, 2025

Ultimately, with Arsenal’s attacking ranks depleted, Arteta has several important tactical decisions to make.

Whether he opts for the experience of Trossard, the youthful energy of the academy, or the physicality of an auxiliary forward, his choices in the coming weeks could be crucial in sustaining Arsenal’s title challenge.