Arsenal confirmed Nasri will be sidelined for 'two to three months', meaning he will be absent for their first three Champions League games should they make it through next month's qualifying round.

But Wenger is hopeful of a quicker recovery.

'Unfortunately he fractured his fibula and he will be out for six weeks,' said Wenger.

'He accidentally nicked the ball away from somebody having a shot on goal. Unfortunately he got kicked and broke his fibula.

'It's not a complicated one, it's a simple one but it will take six weeks to heal.'

Wenger has plenty of options down the left with Diaby, Andrey Arshavin and fit-again Tomas Rosicky all able to fill in.

But the Arsenal manager had hinted he would play Nasri in a defensive midfield role this season, meaning he may be forced to step up his search for a player to partner Cesc Fabregas.



source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...r.html?ITO=1490

Milan have laid eyes on Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner amid reports that the deal for Luis Fabiano is on the verge of failing.

Fabiano's agent Jose Fuentes claims Milan's attempt to sign his client has collapsed. "I think the deal for Fabiano has failed," Fuentes told Sky Sport Italia.

Tuttosport are reporting that the Rossoneri have now highlighted the Gunners' striker as an alternative to the Brazilian. Bendtner has not been a regular starter at the Emirates, but Emmanuel Adebayor's move to Manchester City suggested the Danish international would earn more playing time.

However, Bendtner may now find himself the subject of Milan's desires. Voices in Italy claim the San Siro-based side are expected to make their interest known. Last month, the Rossoneri made contact with Arsenal, but that was for Adebayor.

Earlier reports in Italy claimed the Rossoneri were looking at a possible swap between Marco Borriello and Juventus hitman David Trezeguet, but Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-president, has dismissed those reports.

Arsenal fans have been hit with more bad news as manager Arsene Wenger revealed to the clubs official website that Eduardo will also miss the start of the new season.

The Brazilian-born Croatian international returned to first team action towards the end of last season following a horror leg break against Birmingham City in February 2008. However, the striker underwent further surgery on the injury in May 2009.

It's not all bad in North London, though, as coach Wenger stated that he will return before Samir Nasri.

“In [those] two months (that Nasri will be out) Eduardo will be back,“ he said, although he did not give a definitive timeframe.

Wenger also explained how Samir Nasri sustained his injury.

“Accidentally he nicked the ball away from somebody who was just having a shot on goal,� said the Frenchman. “Unfortunately he got kicked and got a broken fibula. Not a complicated one but it will take six weeks to heal.�

Following the sale of Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City, Arsenal fans will be hoping the injury situation doesn't worsen during the club's ongoing pre-season preparations.

Arsenal fans may be choking down a bitter-sweet pill when hearing the news that, while Czech Republic attacker Tomas Rosicky nears full fitness following a lengthy 18-month injury-hell, Samir Nasri will be sidelined for an expected three months due to a fractured fibula.

However, the initial estimated prognosis has since been clarified by manager Arsene Wenger, who has today stated that the fracture is a "simple one" and that Gunners fans can expect to see their French star - who scored two goals against Manchester United at home last season - as early as September.

The Arsenal boss believes Nasri could return in six weeks, meaning that he may well be available for inclusion for the north London club's visit of former team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor's new stomping ground; Manchester City. The previous visit to Manchester, though, on August 29, to compete against Sir Alex Ferguson's United, may be too soon for the former Marseille hotshot.

Wenger confirmed to Arsenal TV Online, “Unfortunately he fractured his fibula and he will be out for six weeks.

“He accidentally nicked the ball away from somebody having a shot on goal. Unfortunately he got kicked and broke his fibula. It's not a complicated one, it's a simple one but it will take six weeks to heal,� he said.

The astute tactician then implied that Rosicky will be able to cover the absence of Nasri, “Tomas Rosicky [will be] back.�

Wenger then added that Eduardo da Silva, who has bounced between fitness and injury after his return from a potentially career-threatening leg-break sustained at Birmingham City in the 2007-08 season, will also be in contention to rival Rosicky for a starring role while Nasri occupies the physio room.

“In [those] two months Eduardo will be back as well. We have offensive options but we don’t want to lose important players before the season starts,� he lamented.

Considering his swift adaptation period and his productivity in front of goal during his introduction as an Arsenal forward, it is little wonder that Andrey Arshavin is being touted as the Gunners' most influential weapon next season, but the player himself harbours a more modest outlook, claiming his greatest priority is just to keep his first team place.

The former Zenit St. Petersburg hotshot, who signed for £16 million during the winter window, also believes it is high time Arsenal shook off their 'young and inexperienced' label.

"Next season will be like my first real season," he told Sky Sports Magazine. "This has been like the preamble, a demo version before the start of the real game. Everything will start for real next season.
"We'll have to see how that unfolds. My main concern will be making sure I keep my place in the team. I want to enjoy a good pre-season with the team. I have already adapted. I am very happy. The fans love me, which is important for me.

"We all believe that there will be trophies, and that the new season will be full of joy for the players and the fans.

"But we have to finish speaking about how young we are. We need to play like we are a big and strong team."