Huge blow for Arsenal: Defender and midfielder injured ahead of Chelsea clash

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac and midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles have been ruled out until October with injuries, the Premier League club has said.

Kolasinac, 25, sustained a left knee injury in a pre-season match against Chelsea earlier this month while Maitland-Niles was substituted off in the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat by champions Manchester City in their opening league fixture.

The 20-year-old Maitland-Niles has a fracture to his left fibula. Defender Carl Jenkinson has also suffered a sprain on his right ankle and will be out for upto two months.

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

“Sead has a left knee injury. We are aiming for him to return to training in October,” Arsenal said on their website.

France international Laurent Koscielny, who missed his nation’s World Cup-winning campaign with an Achilles tendon tear, is on the mend and is expected to return to training in November.

Arsenal have been boosted with striker Danny Welbeck and defender Nacho Monreal participating in full training ahead of Saturday’s league match against Chelsea.

By AFP 3 hrs ago
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