Arsenal have announced that midfielder Mikel Arteta will miss a further three months after undergoing surgery to repair his ankle.
The Spaniard has not played for the Gunners since the end of November having been sidelined by a calf injury; and later a related ankle problem. Following his most recent surgery, the 32-year-old isn’t expected to return to Arsene Wenger’s squad until April at the earliest.
Speaking to the club’s official website on Thursday, Wenger said: “Mikel has had surgery which went well. I have just seen him, he is back with us at the training ground.”
“He had limited mobility in his ankle and some persistent inflammation that had an impact on his calf. That meant we had to make the decision to have surgery and it’s a proper solution which gives him the best chance to recover.”
