Jack Wilshere out for the year

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the year, with the midfielder requiring surgery on his injured right ankle.

Wilshere has been recovering from a stress fracture and Arsenal medical staff hoped the problem would heal itself with the help of a protective boot.

Wilshere sidelined for the rest of the year

However, the club confirmed late on Friday evening Wilshere's ankle has failed to respond to the treatment and he will now undergo surgery on Monday morning.

"Throughout Jack's injury, the club has been guided by the continuous advice of several world-renowned specialists," said the statement on the club's official website.

"The information attained this week has led to the conclusion that surgery is now required to gain an optimal response. Wilshere is now expected to be out for a period of months. Following surgery these timescales will become more specific."

A club spokesman added: "We have given Jack time to heal naturally which is important wherever possible with a young player. The latest scans show surgery is needed. Everyone at the club wishes Jack a speedy recovery."

Wilshere has been troubled by his ankle throughout the summer, having sustained the original knock in the Euro 2012 qualifier between England and Switzerland in June, and then aggravating it in a pre-season game a month later.

And while it had been hoped Wilshere would return in a matter of weeks, manager Arsene Wenger is now expected to be without the player until the end of this year.

Wilshere wrote on his twitter account on Friday night: "Been in a boot for a month and the bone is not responding. i will have surgery on my right ankle on monday with the two best surgeons around.

"Hopefully i will return to action around christmas time. i am in good hands! thanks for your support everyone!"

I turn Down Liverpool for Arsenal - Benayoun

Yossi Benayoun has revealed that he held talks with Liverpool prior to making a move to Arsenal on deadline day.

The Israeli left the Reds to join Chelsea during the summer of 2010, but injuries prevented him from getting his career going at Stamford Bridge and his former club were keen on bringing him back this summer.

Benayoun, in the UCL match against Dortmund

"I had a few good options from clubs in England and outside," Benayoun told reporters. "There was a few talks with Liverpool. A few teams but as soon as I heard about Arsenal my mind was made up."

The 31-year-old then made a move to Arsenal on a season-long loan following the exits of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively.

The former West Ham United man maintained that he knew his move would only take place on deadline day, as the Blues were waiting to wrap up a deal for either Raul Meireles or Luka Modric first.

"The media thought it was dramatic, but I knew it would go to the last day," said Benayoun. "There was an agreement between me and Chelsea that we would wait until then because they wanted to bring in another player - either Meireles or Modric.

"I first heard about the interest from Arsenal eight days before the end of the window and when I knew they wanted me it was an easy choice.

"Deadline day was calm for me. I flew in from Israel in the morning, from the national team, and knew it was going to happen."

Gunners Back on track - Arsenal 1 Swansea 0

Arsenal got their Barclays Premier League campaign up and running with a narrow 1-0 win over gallant Swansea at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners were in need of a response following their 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United before the international break.

However, for long periods the Swans - coached by assistants Colin Pascoe and Alan Curtis as manager Brendan Rodgers missed the game following the death of his father - more than matched Arsene Wenger's men, who included all five deadline signings in the squad.

Arshavin Scores the Only goal of the match. A huge mistake from Swansea Keeper

However, a mistake by Swansea keeper Michel Vorm, when his roll-out had hit defender Angel Rangel, just before half-time gifted a goal to Andrey Arshavin, which proved enough for the Gunners' first league win.

Arsenal legend Tony Adams is a special one : Per Mertesacker

Per Mertesacker has spoken of his long-standing admiration for Club legend Tony Adams as he prepares to make his Arsenal debut against Swansea at the weekend.


The new signing, who moved to Emirates Stadium from Werder Bremen on transfer deadline day, has been a Gooner since buying a shirt at the age of ten and says the former captain is “a special one”.


 Per Mertesacker

Mertesacker is in line to don the Arsenal red and white for the first time on Saturday and admits he always looked up to Adams when growing up in Germany.


“We didn’t get many pictures of him on the television but Adams was a legend here,” he told Arsenal.com. “He is a special one for me. 


“When I was looking at English football I always looked to Arsenal and he was one of the great defenders when I was ten or 12 years old. I knew he was the centre-half for Arsenal.


“I like the players [like Adams] very much - I have enjoyed seeing them over the years. I hope I can improve my performances here and get better and better - I want to be useful for the team."


Walcott fit for Swansea match after missing England duty

Theo Walcott will be fit to play on Saturday for Arsenal against Swansea City despite a hamstring problem causing Fabio Capello to rest him for England's 1-0 victory over Wales at Wembley on Tuesday.

Theo Walcott

The 22-year-old winger was taken out of the team for the Euro 2012 qualifier as a precaution after developing the issue following England's win over Bulgaria in Sofia last Friday. The news will come as a welcome boost for Arsène Wenger, whose squad is already missing key players due to injury and suspension, particularly in defence, for the game at the Emirates Stadium.

His side are attempting to recover from a poor start to the Premier League season, which has featured defeats to Liverpool and Manchester United – the latter a humiliating 8-2 reverse at Old Trafford. After three games they have only one point and are fourth bottom.

Arsenal submits its Premier League squad

Arsenal has submitted a 22-man squad to the Premier League in accordance with new rules which came into force last season.

Robin Van Persie celebrating Hat-trick against Wigan

Top-flight clubs must register a squad of up to 25 players for league games, which must include no more than 17 'non-homegrown' players.

'Homegrown' players are defined as those who, irrespective of nationality or age, have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to their 21st birthday.

All others are registered on the list of players under the age of 21

This is the squad Arsenal have submitted to the Premier League:

"I have always been a big admirer of the Arsenal philosophy" - Mikel Arteta

Arteta in new Colors 

New Arsenal signing Mikel Arteta believes he has joined the most entertaining side in the country after moving to the Emirates on transfer deadline day.

The former Everton midfielder was signed for a fee of £10 million and stated that he is looking forward to the beginning of his Gunners career.

"I can't wait to start playing," he told the club's official website. "I can't wait to play at the Emirates, I think it's an unbelievable stadium. I'm so excited.

"I have always been a big admirer of the Arsenal philosophy, the way they play, the way they do the job, and it's always exciting watching Arsenal play. In England there is no better team to watch than Arsenal.

"Hopefully I will not take long to adapt but obviously you need to meet new characters, new personalities and new players with different abilities so you need to pick that up as soon as possible to get an understanding on the pitch.

"But I have been watching a few videos and have got some work done before training and hopefully that will help me."