Arsenal in deeper trouble as keeper Cech injures

Arsenal are facing the prospect of being without first Choice goalkeeper Petr Cech for up to a month with a calf injury.

Cech was forced off just before half time in Arsenal’s shock 3-1 defeat to West Brom on Saturday and scan results have revealed Arsene Wenger’s worst fears. 

Arsenal now expect to be without the 34-year-old for up to four weeks, with David Ospina set to deputise between the sticks for league matches against Manchester City, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper will also be in a race against time to prove his fitness for Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final clash against City, which is in just over a month’s time.

Cech hasn’t endured the finest campaign of his career but he will still represent a big loss for an under pressure Arsenal side that have lost six of their last nine matches in all competitions.

Staggeringly, only four goalkeepers have made more saves in the Premier League than Cech this season (81).

Cech had performed below expectation compared to the likes of Tom Heaton, Ben Foster, Jordan Pickford and Lukasz Fabianski who made 110, 96, 87 and 86 point-blank saves for the Gunners in 26, 29, 19and 29 matches respectively.

Meanwhile, fenerbahce are preparing a stunning bid to lure Mesut Ozil away from Arsenal in the summer.

Ozil will only have 12 months remaining on his Arsenal deal at the end of the season and the Gunners will be forced to cash in on their star creator if they fail to make a breakthrough in contract talks.

The 28-year-old’s performances have also dipped this season and Arsene Wenger is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with Ozil’s situation at the club and a summer exit now seems the most likely outcome.

There have been suggestions that Ozil, who was born to Turkish parents, plans to marry Miss Turkey Amine Gulse in the summer before moving to Istanbul, which would only increase Fenerbahce’s chances of signing the Germany international.

Similarly, Arsenal were dealt a potential decisive blow in their pursuit of Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette after Atletico Madrid reached a verbal agreement with the forward for his signature.

Lacazette, 25, has long been linked with a move away from Lyon and the Ligue 1 giants even turned down Arsenal’s advances last summer in order to keep hold of their star man.

The France international has taken his game to another level this season and is expected to be subject of heavy transfer speculation again this summer, with Arsene Wenger ready to rekindle his interest in the frontman.