England striker Danny Welbeck will miss next month’s European Championship after undergoing knee surgery on his right knee.
The 25-year-old will be out of action for the next nine months after suffering ‘significant cartilage damage’.
Welbeck suffered the injury during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Manchester City on Sunday.
The forward, who only returned to action in February after 10 months out with a cartilage problem in his left knee, hurt his right leg in an innocuous challenge with Bacary Sagna.
After receiving treatment at the Etihad Stadium, Welbeck looked close to tears as he tried and failed to carry on playing. The frustration was visible on his face as he limped down the tunnel, taking his shirt off in anger.
Welbeck took to Twitter on Wednesday vowing he’ll back better than ever – in an uplifting message to followers of Arsenal and England.
‘I will be back stronger!’ he tweeted, a message that was supported by his former club Manchester United. ‘Wishing you all the best in your recovery, Danny,’ the Red Devils’ Twitter account responded.
‘Danny Welbeck has had surgery to his right knee,’ Arsenal announced in an online statement on Wednesday afternoon.
‘Specialists determined surgery was required after scans and tests revealed significant cartilage damage.
‘The 25-year-old was injured during Sunday’s match at Manchester City. Danny will miss the Euro 2016 Championship in the summer and his full recovery is expected to take approximately nine months.
‘Since returning to action in February after injuring his left knee in May last year, Welbeck’s impact has been telling – scoring five times, including the recent winner against Norwich City at Emirates Stadium.
‘Everyone at Arsenal will be working hard with Danny throughout his recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch as soon as possible.’
Welbeck’s lengthy spell on the sidelines will be a devastating blow to England boss Hodgson who sees the forward as an integral part of his international plans. He would have almost certainly started in his line-up for the the opening Euro 2016 clash with Russia on June 11.
The Three Lions manager delayed naming his squad for this summer’s European Championship in France as a consequence of Welbeck’s prognosis and is now considering his options to replace him.
Hodgson met with coaches Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, as well as England doctor Ian Beasley, at Wembley on Monday with a view to naming his squad on Wednesday.
But Welbeck’s injury setback has left the England manager with a major selection headache that is further complicated by the fact that Jordan Henderson is only just returning to full training and the possibility of more injuries on the concluding weekend of the Barclays Premier League.
Now he is understood to be agonising over his options, aware that Theo Walcott has been struggling to secure regular first team football at Arsenal and Andros Townsend has been part of a Newcastle team in serious danger of relegation.
It could yet open the door to Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard, who TIBS News understands was discussed in Monday’s meeting in Hodgson’s Wembley office.
By Luke Augustus