Arsenal have suffered another injury scare after Laurent Koscielny withdrew from the France national squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Portugal and Armenia with an Achilles problem.
Koscielny, 29, has been troubled by the issue for some time and Arsene Wenger left the centre-back out of his squad for August's 2-2 draw against Everton and last month's 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat to Southampton in an attempt to allay his injury fears.
However, the long-term ankle injury sustained by fellow countryman Mathieu Debuchy and Arsenal's lack of defensive cover has forced Wenger to deploy Koscielny more often than he perhaps would have anticipated in the first few weeks of the season.
A tweet from the France national side's official account confirmed that Koscielny had been ruled out as a result of chronic tendinitis in both Achilles tendons.
#EDF Souffrant d'une tendinite chronique des deux tendons d'Achille, Laurent Koscielny est forfait pour #FRAPOR et #ARMFRA.
- Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) October 9, 2014
Whether or not Koscielny's injury is a precautionary measure remains to be seen, though Wenger will be hoping his first-choice centre-back will be fit for the Premier League clash against Hull City on Oct. 18 as Calum Chambers is already missing through suspension.
Wenger has already been rocked by the news that Mesut Ozil faces 10-12 weeks out with a partial lateral collateral ligament tear in his left knee and he will be hoping that the rest of his stars can stay injury-free over the international break, with Aaron Ramsey, Olivier Giroud, Mikel Arteta, Yaya Sanogo and David Ospina all also sidelined.
France coach Didier Deschamps has called up Roma's Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa as a replacement.