ARSENE WENGER admits he has no idea when Jack Wilshere will be fit to play again for Arsenal.
The England star has been sidelined for a year and is now recovering after a
double operation to cure ankle and knee problems.
Wilshere has not travelled for Arsenal’s tour of the Far East, will not start the season and is unlikely to return by October.
Boss Wenger also concedes it is not ideal that new signings Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, along with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, are not on the pre-season trip.
Arsenal arrived here in Kuala Lumpur yesterday and will play the first of three games in Asia against a Malaysia XI tomorrow before flying to China.
The fitness of midfield ace Wilshere, 20, is a major worry. While he has suffered no setbacks following surgery in May, he has yet to kick a ball.
Wenger said: “I am positive but a bit cautious because we had so much disappointing news with him.
"Everybody in the medical department says to me he’s doing very well.
“He is still in the gym. Any player still in the gym in July is not on the pitch in August, that is for sure.
"I don’t want to give him any precise deadline because that would put him under huge pressure.
“At the moment, I’m trying to go step-by-step with him but the news is positive.
"I am more positive this time because there is no setback.
“He had his ankle problem and that reated a knee problem. He needed surgery on his knee tendon.
"The advantage of this was to heal completely the inflammation in the ankle. The ankle is perfect and the knee is doing very well. Normally he should go out again in a few weeks.
“It will take some time to come back but let’s not forget Jack is 20 and that means you recover quicker than when you’re 32.
"If he has no medical problem, he will come back very quickly.”
Arsenal were greeted by enthusiastic local fans yesterday but with half of their team missing.
Striker Robin Van Persie has been grounded due to his transfer saga, while Germans Podolski and Mertesacker did not return to training until Saturday following a post Euro 2012 break.
Wenger wanted Frenchmen Koscielny and Giroud to build on their fitness at London Colney, Aaron Ramsey is involved with Team GB at the London Olympics and Bacary Sagna and Tomas Rosicky are crocked.
Those that missed the trip here will have just one game — away at Cologne in Germany — before the season begins.
Wenger added: “It’s a little bit of a concern we have players missing but there’s not much choice.
"After a World Cup or the European Championships you’re always in the same situation. The good thing for us is that the other clubs have the same problem.
“You want the players to do well in the Euros but you know those who go far take a while to recover and to get back their focus at the start of the season.
"You know you have to focus a bit more on the other players.
“We have a game against Cologne. We are also still looking to organise one game when we come back on the weekend when we should have gone to Nigeria. It will be behind closed doors."
Meanwhile, injury-prone Abou Diaby has returned to the squad — yet again.
And providing Diaby stays fit, Wenger claims he will not move for Rennes’ Yann M’Vila.
Asked whether he still wants highly-rated M’Vila, Wenger said: “No. We wait for Diaby and Wilshere.
"When he is fit, Diaby is the first name on the French team sheet.
“When you look we have Alex Song, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Diaby, Wilshere and Mikel Arteta.
"We are not short if Diaby and Wilshere are coming back. If we have setbacks in pre-season, it could be different.”
But Wenger hinted he could be interested in Tottenham target Santi Cazorla, who plays for Malaga.
Quizzed whether he was interested, Wenger grinned: “I don’t know this guy!”
Wilshere has not travelled for Arsenal’s tour of the Far East, will not start the season and is unlikely to return by October.
Boss Wenger also concedes it is not ideal that new signings Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, along with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, are not on the pre-season trip.
Arsenal arrived here in Kuala Lumpur yesterday and will play the first of three games in Asia against a Malaysia XI tomorrow before flying to China.
The fitness of midfield ace Wilshere, 20, is a major worry. While he has suffered no setbacks following surgery in May, he has yet to kick a ball.
Wenger said: “I am positive but a bit cautious because we had so much disappointing news with him.
"Everybody in the medical department says to me he’s doing very well.
“He is still in the gym. Any player still in the gym in July is not on the pitch in August, that is for sure.
"I don’t want to give him any precise deadline because that would put him under huge pressure.
“At the moment, I’m trying to go step-by-step with him but the news is positive.
"I am more positive this time because there is no setback.
“He had his ankle problem and that reated a knee problem. He needed surgery on his knee tendon.
"The advantage of this was to heal completely the inflammation in the ankle. The ankle is perfect and the knee is doing very well. Normally he should go out again in a few weeks.
“It will take some time to come back but let’s not forget Jack is 20 and that means you recover quicker than when you’re 32.
"If he has no medical problem, he will come back very quickly.”
Arsenal were greeted by enthusiastic local fans yesterday but with half of their team missing.
Striker Robin Van Persie has been grounded due to his transfer saga, while Germans Podolski and Mertesacker did not return to training until Saturday following a post Euro 2012 break.
Wenger wanted Frenchmen Koscielny and Giroud to build on their fitness at London Colney, Aaron Ramsey is involved with Team GB at the London Olympics and Bacary Sagna and Tomas Rosicky are crocked.
Those that missed the trip here will have just one game — away at Cologne in Germany — before the season begins.
Wenger added: “It’s a little bit of a concern we have players missing but there’s not much choice.
"After a World Cup or the European Championships you’re always in the same situation. The good thing for us is that the other clubs have the same problem.
“You want the players to do well in the Euros but you know those who go far take a while to recover and to get back their focus at the start of the season.
"You know you have to focus a bit more on the other players.
“We have a game against Cologne. We are also still looking to organise one game when we come back on the weekend when we should have gone to Nigeria. It will be behind closed doors."
Meanwhile, injury-prone Abou Diaby has returned to the squad — yet again.
And providing Diaby stays fit, Wenger claims he will not move for Rennes’ Yann M’Vila.
Asked whether he still wants highly-rated M’Vila, Wenger said: “No. We wait for Diaby and Wilshere.
"When he is fit, Diaby is the first name on the French team sheet.
“When you look we have Alex Song, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Diaby, Wilshere and Mikel Arteta.
"We are not short if Diaby and Wilshere are coming back. If we have setbacks in pre-season, it could be different.”
But Wenger hinted he could be interested in Tottenham target Santi Cazorla, who plays for Malaga.
Quizzed whether he was interested, Wenger grinned: “I don’t know this guy!”
Source : TheSun.co.uk
