Arsenal are to assess the injury situation of defender Laurent Koscielny after his withdrawal in the disastrous 4-0 loss to AC Milan on Wednesday night, BBC Sport reports.
The Frenchman was withdrawn in some discomfort in the San Siro and adds to the long list of defensive injuries that Arsenal have had this season. German international Per Mertesacker faces more than a month on the sidelines after his ankle injury in the 2-1 win away at Sunderland last weekend. Thomas Vermaelen is just returning after his problems and Arsene Wenger is still without Kieran Gibbs and Andre Santos at left-back.
Vermaelen looked short of match fitness after his four month lay off with an Achilles problem and Johan Djourou, who replaced Koscielny, has only just returned from injury himself. Wenger now has to think of his options ahead of the weekend’s FA Cup tie with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and could play Alex Song in defence.
Arsenal have Sebastian Squillaci and young defender Ignasi Miquel available, but may look to deploy Song in the defensive role he carried out for the final 24 minutes in Milan. The Gunners have been linked with Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen and the current injury worries may force Wenger to make a serious move in the summer.
