Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is set to undergo surgery on an abdominal problem which will keep him out for “a few weeks”.
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Walcott, 24, picked up the problem in the pre-match warm-up prior to the Gunners’ 3-1 defeat of Stoke on Sunday and was forced to pull out of the starting line-up.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger referred to the injury as “a mystery” after the game and admitted he was unsure as to how long the forward would be sidelined for.
However, the club’s official website confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Walcott has damaged his “posterior abdominal wall” and will be out of England’s World Cup qualifying double-header against Montenegro and Poland next month.
Wenger added: “Theo will be out for a few weeks. He has developed some damage to his posterior abdominal wall. It’s not a hernia, but it’s a little structural problem in his abdomen.
“He will have the procedure in Germany on Wednesday and, because it’s so minor, we can begin his rehab immediately.
“We are pleased it’s being dealt with quickly and he shouldn’t miss too many Arsenal matches. But he will miss the forthcoming international matches with England.”
Walcott has also been ruled out of Arsenal’s next four games — Capital One Cup and Premier League trips to West Brom, a league game at Swansea and the visit of Napoli in the Champions League.
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