Arsenal boss Arteta drops hint over Havertz return before end of season 

Gunners boss Arteta gives hope striker Kai Havertz could be back in Arsenal colours before the end of the campaign 

Arsenal's spring has been blighted by the lack of a recognised striker - not that the Gunners form in Europe has suffered, given the magnificent performance during the 3-0 victory over Real Madrid at the Emirates this week, nor the glut of goals in the Netherlands in the previous round, when the North Londoners dispatched PSV 7-1 in the Phillips Stadion. 

However, which team wouldn't benefit from the return of such a talented striker as Kai Havertz, following the former Chelsea attacker's unfortunate injury picked up during Arsenal's warm weather training camp at the end of January. 

While makeshift stiker Mikel Merino has earned plaudits for plugging away up top - not least when scoring the Gunners third against Los Blancos in the quater-finals of the Champions League, nor when amassing eight goals for the cause, as well as winning the club's Player of the Month for March - a fit and firing Havertz back before the end of May would give the Euro title chasing Gunners a huge boost. 

Speaking ahead of Arsenal's clash with Thomas Frank's Brentford on Saturday evening, Arteta was asked about Havertz's potential return. 

The Gunners boss replied: "Hopefully, we can have him back. [Before the end of the season]."

Now, that would be good news for Gooners everywhere.