Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has always had a lot of faith in the French midfielder Abou Diaby. The 26-year-old arrived at the Emirates stadium back in 2006. The former Auxerre player was seen as the replacement for Patrick Vieira in the centre of midfield primarily due to a similar build and style of play. However, he has suffered several injuries over the course of his Arsenal career, which have limited his ability to take his game to the next level. Following the departure of Alex Song, in the summer, it was highly anticipated that Diaby would finally fulfil his potential at Arsenal.
However, he spent the majority of the season on the sidelines and his time that could be extended by almost a year after that was revealed that the player has now suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Arsenal revealed in an official statement that the player could be missing from the first team action for up to 9 months as he prepares to undergo surgery. This is yet another blow for the midfielder.
The lack of a player like Diaby in the centre of midfield has been one of the main reasons for Arsenal’s inability to challenge Tottenham and Chelsea this season. They are currently outside the top four positions in the league.
“Abou Diaby injured his left knee in training on Wednesday and he has torn his anterior cruciate ligament. Abou will undergo surgery to repair the injury in the near future,” said a statement on the official website of the club. This is a major setback for Arsenal in their hopes of challenging Tottenham and Arsenal in the remaining eight matches of the season. Diaby has made just 11 appearances in the league this season, and he has not scored a goal. Arsenal are four points behind Tottenham in the table.