Arsenal Injury Update: Wilshere, Mertesacker, Santos & More

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been giving an injury update to Arsenal.com this afternoon, and on the whole it’s positive news.

We’ve had some disastrous luck once again on the injury front this season with several important first team players sidelined for prolonged periods. Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby have missed the entire season, well Diaby played about an hour against Liverpool a couple of weeks ago before going off with another injury, but there is no doubt we’ve missed them both hugely this season.

But Abou is likely to play for the reserves next week, while Wilshere is also closing in on a first team return and could yet make his comeback before the end of the season. Although Wenger remains cautious with him, understandably so, and has refused to set a comeback date, it’s looking good that we’ll see Wilshere before the season’s finished.

In other good news, Brazilian defender Andre Santos is also close to a first team comeback after coming through sixty minutes for the reserves on Wednesday night, and Francis Coquelin is now 2 weeks away from fitness.

The only bad news Wenger had to report is that defender Per Mertesacker is almost certain to miss the rest of the season with a ruptured ankle ligament. It was always going to be touch-and-go whether big-Per would make another appearance this season after such a nasty injury, but there was always a slight hope he would make a miraculous recovery. But it now seems that Arsene has ruled him out for the season. Hopefully he’ll be back next season fitter and stronger.

Here is what Wenger told to Arsenal.com today:

on Andre Santos’ return for the reserves… 

Andre played 60 minutes with no problem. Overall we are getting our players back so that is positive.

on Abou Diaby…

Abou might play in the reserves next week at Liverpool. That game is on Tuesday night.

on Jack Wilshere…

Jack’s scan was positive. There is no problem, it is normal evolution and he is continuing his progression. It’s too early to fix a date though, we go day by day with him.

on Francis Coquelin…

Francis is two more weeks away from fitness.

on Per Mertesacker…

I believe Per will be out for the rest of the season. Basically there are only six weeks to go [this season] so I don’t think he’ll be sharp enough to come back and play. He would need to train and get back to full fitness.

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