- Arsenal are facing a severe injury crisis after Kai Havertz was injured during their training camp in Dubai
- Arsenal's roster is currently depleted with the absence of Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli.
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that one of his players has expressed a willingness to play as a striker.
Arsenal's attacking lineup has been severely depleted due to injuries and they need to find a quick solution.
Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz has suffered a season-ending injury, joining Gabriel Jesus, who suffered an ACL tear last month.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta stated that one of his defenders has expressed a willingness to play in a forward position.
Who will be Arsenal's striker?
Arsenal have limited options upfront. Apart from Havertz and Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be out for a while.
At his press conference prior to Arsenal's match against Leicester this weekend, Arteta stated that William Saliba expressed a willingness to play as a striker.
He described Willy as 'very funny' and said it was one of his first reactions to offer to play upfront, he said via Standard Sport.
It's indeed true that he played there. He was known for scoring numerous goals. However, many other players also played there when they were younger.
Saliba has emerged as one of the top central defenders globally and has been associated with a major transfer to Real Madrid.
The French international has also become a threat during corner kicks. He has scored two goals this season.
What steps will Arsenal take to replace Kai Havertz?
Havertz has been a consistent performer for Arsenal, even if there have been some disappointing matches. He has managed to find the back of the net 15 times in 34 games across all competitions this season.
Areta believes his team has endured a lot this season, implying they are capable of handling the absence of the German player.
"It's a significant setback due to the extent of the injuries we've sustained, but we've already faced a lot of challenges this season," he said via Arsenal.com.
That's the challenge ahead. I'm excited about it, and I'm looking forward because we are still where we are with all the things I mentioned, plus we've had to play four games with ten men. Let's see what the team is made of.
Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri, and Leandro Trossard have been mentioned as potential forwards.
The club could also sign free agent strikers such as Diego Costa, Maxi Gomez, and Carlos Vela.
Arsenal are currently seven points behind Liverpool in the Premier League standings and will have to perform exceptionally well for the remainder of the season in order to have a realistic chance of closing the gap.
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Additionally, forwards such as Trossard and Sterling must make a significant impact. Who knows, perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for Sterling to recapture his form.
Could Arsenal seek special permission?
Arsenal is considering asking for a special exception to allow teenager Max Dowman to play and alleviate their current injury situation.
The highly-rated player joined Arsenal's senior team on their trip to Dubai for training, but rules prohibit the club from fielding him.