Arsenal handed unexpected striker boost after unusual squad announcement | OneFootball

Arsenal appear to have been offered an unexpected boost over Kai Havertz after Jurgen Klopp named his inaugural Germany squads.

Arsenal appear to have been offered an unexpected boost over Kai Havertz after Jurgen Klopp named his inaugural Germany squads.

Former Liverpool boss Klopp is preparing for his first matches in charge of the national team after agreeing to succeed Julian Nagelsmann, who stood down following a disastrous World Cup last-32 defeat on penalties by Paraguay in the United States earlier this summer.

The first post-World Cup international window is an extended one lasting for three weeks straddling the end of September and start of October, with most European teams set to play four Nations League games during that span.

Klopp has taken the novel approach of splitting 44 players into two different groups, one to contest the first two matches in Group A2 against the Netherlands and Greece, and another to take over for meetings with Serbia and Greece again.

New role: Jurgen Klopp replaced Julian Nagelsmann as the manager of Germany

In potentially good news for Mikel Arteta, Havertz is in the initial squad, but not the second.

That means while he is set to have involvement in the trip to Amsterdam on September 24 and home meeting with Greece in Augsburg three days later, he will be resting while Klopp’s second group entertain Serbia in Munich on October 1 and then head to Thessaloniki to close out the window on October 4.

Arsenal will no doubt be thankful that Havertz won’t be involved in all four Germany matches, with the former Chelsea forward - who has struggled with a number of injury issues in the past - a crucial player under Arteta as first-choice striker.

Havertz has led the line impressively for the Gunners in the early stages of the new season, starting all four Premier League games so far and scoring three times in six total appearances across all competitions.

Key figure: Kai Havertz remains an important player to Arsenal under Mikel Arteta

With no new striker signed over the summer amid frustration in Arsenal’s high-profile pursuit of Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez, and with fellow frontman Viktor Gyokeres struggling notably for form so far this term, keeping Havertz fit has become more important than ever for Arteta.

Arsenal still boast a perfect 100 per cent winning record across six matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup so far this season, having also brushed aside title rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield.

After last weekend’s eventful 2-0 top-flight win at Sunderland and a Max Dowman-inspired 4-2 victory over Ipswich in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday, which set up a last-16 trip to fourth-tier Fleetwood, Arteta’s defending champions next travel to Brighton on Saturday.

After the international break, they host Leeds, Lille and Everton, with away trips to come against Nottingham Forest, Bayern Munich and Fleetwood.