Arsenal have confirmed that Thomas Vermaelen has had an operation on his left ankle and expect him to return to training within a month.
However, the club have denied the Belgian defender injured his Achilles, which was previously thought.
The 25-year-old, who sustained the injury during the club’s UEFA Champions League play-off win over Udinese, missed eight months of last season with an Achilles problem in his right ankle.
The defender’s absence represents a further blow to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who has had to deal with a raft of injuries and suspensions at the start of the season, as well as the high-profile departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas.
A statement on Arsenal’s official website read: “Thomas Vermaelen has undergone a minor procedure to remove an inflamed plantaris tendon from his left ankle.
“This is the same treatment that he had on his right ankle in January this year and has nothing to do with his Achilles tendon.
“The action was taken after consultation with specialists who advised this was the best thing to do to prevent it becoming a persistent problem.”
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