Arsene Wenger confirms knee setback for Jack Wilshere

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Jack Wilshere has suffered a knee injury which kept him out for Arsenal's pre-season game against Chivas de Guadalajara. The midfielder missed almost the entirety of last season with a broken foot, but the Frenchman insists that the current problem is not much to worry about and that he should be back in contention ahead of their game against Vikings on Friday (5 August).

Wilshere played the first half against Lens and was part of the England squad travelling to the European Championships where he failed to have an impact. The Three Lions crashed out of the round of 16 to minnows Iceland, with the 24-year-old featuring mostly from the bench.

"It's a slight patella problem but I think he should be with us on tour on Thursday," Wenger said, as quoted by Goal. "I hope he will, yes," he added when asked if he is confident of his assessment.

The Gunners have a host of injury problems to worry about, with Per Mertesacker out until 2017 with a knee injury he picked up in a pre-season friendly against Lens. The German had to undergo surgery on his knee which has left the Gunners light at the back and are desperately searching for a replacement ahead of their Premier League opener against Liverpool.

Meanwhile, the manager also confirmed that Santi Cazorla will not be fit before the end of August, as he is recuperating from the injuries he suffered last season. The Spaniard missed a major part of the previous campaign with a knee injury and is yet to get completely fit.

"He is our technical security in midfield and we missed him for five or six months last season," Wenger said. "At the moment he is not completely there on the fitness front. That's why I took him off at half-time. He's a bit behind the others physically but I think he will be alright, maybe not on August 14th, but at the end of August he should be alright," the manager added.