Arteta opens up on Havertz body ‘transformation’ during injury rehab

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Kai Havertz for undergoing a physical transformation while recovering from a hamstring injury.

Havertz has been out of action since February after sustaining the injury during a mid-season training camp in Dubai. Initially, it was uncertain if he would feature again this term, but the 24-year-old is now in contention to return for Sunday’s home match against Newcastle.

Fans took notice of Havertz’s noticeably more muscular frame during a recent open training session at the Emirates, and Arteta confirmed that the forward had used his time on the sidelines to reinvent himself physically.

“There’s been a transformation in his body,” Arteta said. “The last three years in his career have been so condensed that he hasn’t had time to do that and this has been a window and he really wanted to use it.

“To be fair, the staff and how they have explained the opportunity that is within with his physique to go to a different level and the things that he can improve and it can even help him mentally as well as being more effective as a player.

“He got on board with that, he worked hard, got on board with that, you can see his presence and I think he destroyed all the metrics that we had in the gym for the last 10 years.”

Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jorginho RETURN to training. 🔙 pic.twitter.com/6vgtITXA8J

— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) May 14, 2025

“Power, acceleration, muscle mass, the way that he has increased certain capacities in his body, his agility, he’s been incredible. I was talking to the medical staff the other day and they were talking about that.”

Arteta was quick to applaud the positive influence Havertz had on his team-mates despite not being available for selection, noting that his attitude helped set a higher standard for the rest of the squad.

“It’s been a phenomenal effort from all of them under the circumstances. Last home game is always a special occasion and it is our chance to wrap up Champions League qualification.

“For someone that is not in the team to have that mindset, the only thing he has done is raise the standards in the building because the other ones in the building who are injured were looking at him, ‘I’m going to look bad if I don’t do the same’ so that’s part of the culture.”

“And very grateful because when the players that are not playing are doing that, it’s just raising the bar for the next one to come. If he is not at that level he is going to get exposed so that will make us better.”