After Gabriel Jesus was sidelined with an ACl injury, Havertz was left as Arsenal's only recognised striker and they failed to sign a new forward in the January transfer window. As a result, the German's injury means Mikel Arteta will be forced to find another solution - with Sterling a potential option.
Sterling has made just three Premier League starts since joining Arsenal on loan from Chelsea last summer and, although he is more comfortable out wide, he has played up front at times during his career.
And Gunners legend Wright believes Sterling now has a chance to turn his season around, warning the 30-year-old it is now or never for him to make an impact at the Emirates or else he will "go out with a whimper".
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, Wright said: "For Kai Havertz to get an injury at this stage is just devastating. You can pull a hamstring, but something has gone wrong if it's ruptured to the point where he's out for the season.
"He's played a lot of games for us, and Mikel Arteta would be thinking that he needed to get a player in January. The opportunity that has arisen for him [Sterling], this is the time where he should buckle down and say, 'I have to make this work'.
"Otherwise, he'll go out with a whimper. The last time I saw him come on and do something in a short space of time, was against Manchester United – that’s what you want to see from him, just come on and try to make something happen.
"The fans are hoping as well – you can hear their groans, so you feel that he's in that place where if he doesn't do anything positive, he can hear them coming – and that's not a great place to be."
The likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are also currently out of action with injuries, while Arsenal's attempts to sign Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko were unsuccessful in January.
"We had a clear intention which is there is a window open," Arteta said of Arsenal's failure to sign a forward. "For the players that can impact it, we haven't achieved it. We are disappointed. But we are very aware that we only want to bring certain types of player."
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