Nasri injury blow rocks Gunners

ARSENAL were rocked yesterday by the news Samir Nasri will be out of action for up to three months after breaking his leg.

The French international midfielder suffered a fractured fibula at Arsenal’s training camp in Austria.

Nasri will miss the opening weeks of the Premier League season and will be hoping to return to action at some stage in October.

The injury to Nasri follows the £25 million (€29m) sale of Emmanuel Adebayor and will place added pressure on Gunners manager Arsene Wenger to further strengthen his squad during the transfer window.

Nasri’s versatility was important last season to Arsenal; he played across the midfield and also periodically in behind the main central striker.

However, injuries blighted Arsenal’s season, with Tomas Rosicky, Eduardo, Theo Walcott, William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas all spending lengthy periods on the sidelines.

Wenger has, though, been boosted during pre-season by the returns from injury of Rosicky, Eduardo and Gallas.

Nasri, who has 15 international caps, joined Arsenal last year from French side Marseille and played 44 matches during his first season at the club, scoring seven goals.

On the pitch last night Nicklas Bendtner, Robin van Persie and Aaron Ramsey scored two apiece and William Gallas grabbed the other as Arsenal kicked off their mini-European tour with a 7-1 victory over SC Columbia in Vienna.

Meanwhile Manchester City handed a debut to new signing Gareth Barry but it was Stephen Ireland who clinched the winner as the Blues posted a hard-fought victory in the second match of their South African tour last night.

Watched by new signing Emmanuel Adebayor, City recovered from their weekend loss to Orlando Pirates with a 1-0 triumph against Kaizer Chiefs, Ireland hitting the winner on the stroke of half-time at the ABSA Stadium in Durban.