- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Niels Elgaard Larsen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Team logos via ESPN.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed strong confidence that Kai Havertz can reach the 30-goal mark in a single campaign for the club.
Havertz, 27, is set to lead the line against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Arteta favouring him over out-of-favour Viktor Gyökeres. The forward joined Arsenal from Chelsea in 2023 and recorded 14 goals in his first season at Emirates Stadium, followed by 15 goals the next campaign. However, a hamstring injury caused him to miss the concluding four months of that season. Last term, hamstring and knee problems restricted him to 24 appearances and seven goals.
This season, Havertz has started all of Arsenal's league games and scored twice in his opening three Premier League matches, though he has gone goalless in five matches since. Arteta praised the striker's qualities, saying, "He has that ability... I am a big believer that yes, he can do it." The manager also highlighted Havertz's football IQ and mentality, noting he values him a lot.
Gyökeres, who managed 21 goals in his debut Arsenal campaign, made his third start of the season against Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday but was withdrawn midway through the second half after making little impact. Gyökeres scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting Lisbon but has yet to score in seven games this season. Arteta noted Gyökeres possesses incredible will and determination and work-rate.
Source: ESPN - Sat Oct 17, 6:53 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).