Arsenal have confirmed that veteran centre-half Per Mertesacker has picked up a knee injury on the club’s official website, which could well leave the Gunners short at the back ahead of the new season.
It remains to be seen just how serious the German enforcer’s knock is, but the former Werder Bremen defender will be sidelined for the remainder of the North London outfit’s pre-season tour of the United States.
It means that Gunners fans are likely to get a chance to see plenty of new signing Rob Holding before the 2016-17 campaign begins, with the former Bolton man set to deputise in the friendly fixtures.
It also leaves Calum Chambers as the most experienced centre-half at Arsene Wenger’s disposal, with Gabriel suffering from tonsillitis and Laurent Koscielny on holiday after his participation in Euro 2016.
Concerns will be there that Arsenal could well have to field a centre-back pairing of Holding and Chambers in the opening fixture of the new Premier League season should the more established options not recover from their respective ailments in time to feature.
