The injury to William Gallas is back at ‘square one’.

The in-form centre half last played for Arsenal in the 1-0 win over Liverpool on February 10. Since then a troubling calf problem has kept him sidelined, even though it was first thought to be minor. Speaking on the eve of the Champions League tie with Porto, Arsène Wenger admitted the 32-year-old had broken down the day before, would miss the trip to Hull at the weekend and his problem had barely improved from when he first got it.

''Gallas has been out for a month and now he has had a recurrence of his calf injury,” said the manager. “He felt very well yesterday and went out but he has gone backwards again. We are at the starting point with Gallas unfortunately.

“At the beginning it was a minor injury. We don't know how long it will be now. He had a scan on Monday and we will assess it from there but for Hull, for example, he has no chance.

''We were impatient with him and we pushed him and he wanted to get on as well, that is why maybe it has happened. But there is no obvious sign as to why it keeps coming back. He has no pain at all, then goes for a little jog and then it goes again.”

Meanwhile Gallas’ contract is up in the summer. The two Frenchmen are set to continue talks very soon but Wenger has strict policies on players over 30 and it appears he will be sticking with them.

''We meet his agent this week,” said the manager. “I am very resolute. Usually we always offer a one-year contract for an older player.”