Wenger Offers Debuchy Update: Defender To Miss At Least 6 Weeks

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has given an update on the fitness of Mathieu Debuchy and confirmed the defender will be out for between 6 to 12 weeks.

Debuchy was stretchered off during the final stages of our 2-2 draw with Premier League champions Manchester City last weekend after going down clutching his ankle.

Initial reports suggested he could be facing between two and three months on the sidelines after damaging ankle ligaments. However, there is now a chance the defender could be back in just six weeks.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekends trip to Aston Villa, Wenger has confirmed that Debuchy will have another scan today where it will be determined whether he needs to have surgery or not.

If the 29-year-old has to go under the knife then he’s looking at 3 months on the sidelines, but if not, then he should be back in just 6 weeks. The boss told reporters this morning:

“We’ll know about Debuchy tonight after his examination whether he’ll need surgery,” Wenger told ESPN

“If he doesn’t need surgery, it will be six weeks. If he does need surgery, it will be three months.”

It would be a massive boost if Debuchy avoids the need for surgery and can be fit again in 6 weeks, but knowing Arsenal’s luck with injuries, I think we should brace ourselves for the worst.

The French international has been excellent since his move from Newcastle this summer so it’s a real blow that he’s picked up this untimely injury. In his absence, Wenger is going to have to decide how to fill the void with Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin set to battle it out for the right-back berth.

Chambers would probably be the best bet as he’s more experienced than the Spaniard, but as he’s our third choice centre-back, it would be a big risk to play him week-in, week-out at right-back as any injury to the 19-year-old would leave us dangerously thin of options in the middle of defence.