Arteta Addresses Arsenal’s Move for Eberechi Eze and Provides Update on Havertz Injury

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has dismissed suggestions that the club’s imminent signing of Eberechi Eze is linked to Kai Havertz’s recent injury setback.

The Gunners have reached an agreement to sign the Crystal Palace forward in a deal valued at approximately £68 million, with the player expected to undergo his medical today.

Tottenham Hotspur had initially agreed terms with Eze on Wednesday, with the forward reportedly eager to finalise the move, before Arsenal made their decisive intervention.

The development followed just hours after Havertz missed an open training session due to a knee injury sustained during Sunday’s clash against Manchester United.

Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League fixture against Leeds on Saturday, Arteta explained:

“I think it was very clear when I said that our transfer business wasn’t finished. Obviously, we were very active in exploring opportunities that could arise. We are not reacting to anything; we’ve been well prepared and understood what we could do, and we’ve decided this is the right moment to act.”

When pressed on Eze specifically, the Spaniard remained cautious:

“I can never talk about any player who is not part of our group or our club yet, so no comment on that.”

On Havertz’s fitness, Arteta confirmed that the German international would not feature against Leeds:

“He’s certainly not fit for this match. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury and we don’t yet know the full extent of it. We need a little more time and further tests, after which we’ll have more clarity on the next steps.

“Mentally, he’s in a good place. He’s a really strong boy, very committed. As you know, he made an incredible recovery from hamstring surgery and had never suffered an injury before, so this is a new experience for him. Now he’s had a setback, but I’m sure he’ll deal with it in the best possible way. He has the joy of a child, and hopefully we’ll have him back soon.”