Arsenal Injury News: David Ospina Ruled Out for Three Months with Thigh Injury
Arsenal have suffered another significant injury blow after goalkeeper David Ospina was ruled out for two to three months due to the recurrence of a thigh injury he picked during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Arsene Wenger confirmed that the goalkeeper is set to be sidelined well into the new year and also revealed that the Colombian international has had injury troubles during his time with previous club Nice.
"It is exactly the same one [as from the World Cup]. He had his first injury at Nice - it was a knee problem and he was a bit rushed back and did not use his leg, so his muscle became weaker," Wenger said, as quoted on Arsenal's official site.
The Frenchman has also revealed that Ospina was injured when he joined Arsenal, raising questions regarding the medical tests done by the Gunners before signing players.
It is not the first time that the north London club are facing this situation. During the January transfer window this year, the club signed Kim Kallstrom on loan despite the player suffering from a back injury.
"Then he got injured in the World Cup. After that, he came to us injured after the World Cup and it took him two months to play again. I had to bring him on against Galatasaray without a warm up and being prepared, so he had a recurrence of that injury," the Gunners boss explained.
The 64-year-old manager has now declared that the goalkeeper will not be rushed back into action until he fully recovers from the thigh injury sustained against Galatasaray.
"It means he is out for two to three months, now we have to be really careful because it is a recurrence of a thigh injury, which is very difficult. It is a long-term injury."
This leaves Arsenal short on the goalkeeping front leaving 22-year-old Damian Martinez as the only backup for first-choice keeper Wojciech Szczesny.
The Gunners travel to Belgium on Wednesday to take on Anderlecht in the Champions League, and with Wojciech Szczesny suspended, the Argentinean youngster is set to step in with 17-year-old Ryan Huddart, who is an academy player, deputising on the bench.
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