Premiership: Pires could need surgery - Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger fears French midfield star Robert Pires will need surgery on the cruciate ligament injury which has wrecked his World Cup hopes.

Pires will receive the medical verdict on Monday week on whether or not long-term rest will cure the problem, but Wenger said today: ‘‘I feel he will not be able to avoid an operation.

‘‘He was hoping rest would sort it out but I’m not too optimistic about that.’’

But there is better news of Ashley Cole’s medial ligament problem which originally put a question mark over his World Cup ambitions with England.

Cole misses tomorrow’s north London derby against Tottenham at Highbury, and is, according to Wenger, 80% certain to miss the following week’s FA Cup semi-final,

But the manager expects hit for the Barclaycard Premiership match against Ipswich, leaving him time to stake his claim for a World Cup place.

Wenger is going to let Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto, who has not figured in the Premiership this season, join up with Japan’s World Cup squad at the end of April.

‘‘I told them that if he hadn’t played for us by then he could go and spend the whole of May preparing in Japan,’’ said Wenger.

Inamoto, signed from Japanese club Gamba Osaka, has played the whole season in Arsenal’s reserves, but Wenger said: ‘‘He has improved. I think he is a very good player now.’’

But, with the Gunners chasing the championship, he said: ‘‘It’s not the right time to bring him into the team.’’

And Inamoto will have to wait to see if he will still be at Highbury next season.

‘‘That is not decided yet,’’ added Wenger.