ARSENAL have confirmed Calum Chambers is out for up to nine months after undergoing surgery on a ruptured ACL.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta confirmed the 24-year-old’s injury sustained in the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea was “significant”.
An Arsenal statement released this afternoon read: “We can confirm that Calum ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee.
“Calum has had successful surgery in London on Thursday morning. The rehabilitation process is expected to take between six to nine months.
“Everyone at the club will be supporting Calum to ensure he is back on the pitch as soon as possible.”
Arteta said: “Obviously we had a bad injury with Calum a few days ago that is going to change our plans at the back.
Addressing the situation, Arteta said: “We are going to try and be in the market to see options that can strengthen the team.
“That’s for sure and that’s our obligation and we’re going to be working on that.
“My obligation is to give my opinion on the things that we can improve.
“But the reality at the moment is we are not going to be able to do much.
“I am more concerned to get people back from injures than the signings and to try and improve the players that I have here.
“If something extra comes up and we think it’s the right opportunity to improve what we have, let’s do it.”
The injury also deals a huge blow to Chambers‘ hopes of making Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020.
The former Southampton defender has three England caps, but was hoping a run in the Arsenal team would give him a shot of making this summer’s squad.
Arteta is certainly dealing with an injury headache, with first-choice full-backs Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin out injured, while Rob Holding is on the verge of first-team football after missing all of December.
Holding had not long been back in the first-team fold after missing out on eight months with a severe knee injury himself.
