Unai Emery confirmed that Danny Welbeck has undergone surgery to repair the broken ankle he suffered during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Sporting in the Europa League.
Welbeck was given oxygen and stretchered from the pitch in a leg brace after landing awkwardly in the first half of the match, and hospital scans confirmed Arsenal’s worst fears about the extent of the injury.
Speaking after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Wolves on Sunday, Emery admitted that he does not know when he will be able to call upon the striker again.
Confirming that an operation has taken place, the Arsenal manager added: “The ankle is broken, we will be without him for a long time.”
Emery’s comments were made after visiting Welbeck in hospital. Arsenal have not ruled out the possibility of a second procedure and hope to have a more specific timeframe for the 27-year-old’s recovery after further assessment this week.
Welbeck has made 126 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal since joining from Manchester United for a fee of £16 million in 2014, but he has only infrequently been a starter and his time at the Emirates Stadium has been disrupted by several serious injuries.
His current contract with the Gunners expires next summer, and Emery last week refused to be drawn on whether the striker will be offered an extension.
“The best thing for him now is to think about the person,” Emery said. “He is a very good person, his commitment with us is a very big commitment.
“He helps us with his quality and capacity. This injury is very big for him, for us and for all people who like and love him as a person.”
