Arsenal Defender Thomas Vermaelen Will Undergo Surgery On Torn Achilles Tendon

Belgian international will be ruled out for six weeks.
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen has confirmed on Sunday that he will undergo surgery on his torn Achilles tendon and could be out for at least six weeks.

The Belgian international has been ruled out of Arsene Wenger’s starting XI since he picked up the injury on international duty in September and had been close to a return to action for the past few weeks.

Wenger has been calling for Laurent Koscielny, Sebastian Squillaci and Johan Djourou to fill in his place as he battled back to fitness.

The Arsenal manager will now need to splash the cash on a new centre-back in the transfer window with Vermaelen not back to full fitness.

Vermaelen told Belgian website Sporza.be that surgery was the only option left for a possible recovery and that he would not feature on the Arsenal teamsheet before March.

He said: "I'll undergo this operation in Sweden.

"According to the specialist, who will operate on me, it's a little tendon situated beside the Achilles tendon which is provoking the irritation."

In addition, he said that he believes he will be on the sidelines for at least “four to six weeks”.

Werder Bremen star Per Mertesacker has declared that he would not be transferred despite reports linking him with a move to Arsenal while talents such as Blackburn Rover’s Christopher Samba, Bolton Wanderers’ Gary Cahill and West Ham United’s Matthew Upson have all been linked with a move to the Emirates.