"The rest of the season Kai!!" - Arsenal legend Ian Wright's reaction after learning extent of Kai Havertz's absence comes to light

Arsenal legend Ian Wright was in disbelief upon learning the extent of Kai Havertz’s injury. Havertz picked up a hamstring injury during a training session in Dubai last week, and after subsequent assessments, the Gunners confirmed that he has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Arsenal have dealt with a plethora of injuries in the ongoing season. Prior to Kai Havertz’s injury, Gabriel Martinelli sustained an injury in the first half of the Gunners’ EFL Cup semi-final second leg defeat to Newcastle United.

Havertz is Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, with nine goals after 21 league games. His injury will come as a huge blow to the Gunners and club legend Ian Wright was surprised by the expected duration of his absence.

During an appearance on The Overlap, Wright said:

"The rest of the season Kai! I didn’t realize it was that bad! Torn hamstring during the break in Dubai."

Havertz has now joined Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Martinelli on the club’s injured list.

Ian Wright urges Raheem Sterling to step up for Arsenal after Kai Havertz injury blow

Ian Wright urged loanee winger Raheem Sterling to step up and take his chance after Kai Havertz suffered a season-ending injury. Following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Havertz, Mikel Arteta will be forced to find another solution up front with Sterling as a potential option.

Since joining Arsenal last summer on a season-long loan, Sterling has found playing time hard to come by, as he has made just three Premier League starts for the Gunners. Following Havertz’s injury, Wright believes Sterling has the chance to step up to avoid going out with a whimper.

Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football (via The Independent), Wright said:

"For Havertz to get it at this stage is devastating for him. You can pull a hamstring and that but something’s gone wrong where it’s ruptured to the point where he’s out for the season."

"He does play up front but I don’t know what to say with Raheem. The opportunity that’s arose for him (Sterling), I thought this is the time where he would have went, ‘wow, OK, I’ve left (Manchester) City, I’ve gone to Chelsea, it’s not gone right but Arsenal, who are trying to challenge for it, have come in for me.’’

"I thought that this would have been, for whatever is happening, (time for) him to buckle down and say ‘right, I’m going to make this work, I have to make this work’. Or else, he’s going to go out with a whimper.”

Wright added:

"The last time I saw him really come on and do something in a short space of time was against (Manchester) United. That’s what you want to see from him – just come on and try and make something happen. You’re hoping (he can do something) and I think the fans are hoping as well because as soon as he gets it and he comes back, you can hear their groans. So, you just feel like he’s in that place where if he doesn’t do something positive, he knows that it’s coming, and I think that’s not a good place to be.”