Mertesacker injury is a new defensive blow for Wenger
ARSENAL are facing a defensive shortage ahead of the new season with Per Mertesacker poised to be a long-term absentee due to a knee injury.
Mertesacker has been left out of the club’s pre-season tour of America and losing the 31-year-old represents a serious setback for Arsene Wenger.
It leaves Arsenal with a problem for their first game of the season against Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on August 14.
Laurent Koscielny is not back after Euro 2016 and Wenger is normally reluctant to rush players into action after a major tournament. Wenger likes to give players at least four weeks rest and Koscielny played for France in the Euro 2016 final on July 10.
Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski all missed the first game of the season after winning the World Cup with Germany in 2014.
But with Mertesacker sidelined and Gabriel and Calum Chambers the only alternatives at centreback, Wenger may be forced to play Koscielny.
Wenger is expected to clarify the extent of Mertesacker’s injury at a press conference this evening.
Gabriel has also not travelled to America because he has tonsillitis but he is expected to be fit for the start of the season. Chambers is Arsenal’s only senior centre-back in the States.
Arsenal signed Rob Holding from Bolton last week but it remains to be seen whether the 20-year-old is ready for first-team football.
The Gunners play MLS All-Stars in San Jose on Thursday and Chivas de Guadalajara in Los Angeles on Sunday.