wenger waits on Giroud news

Olivier Giroud

Arsenal are waiting to discover the severity of Olivier Giroud’s foot injury but are already resigned to being without him for their Champions League qualifier against Besiktas on Wednesday night.

Giroud may be facing an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining the damage in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Everton, just seconds after heading the equaliser.

The 27-year-old Frenchman has undergone two scans and is due to see a specialist on Wednesday who will provide a time frame for his rehabilitation.

Manager Arsene Wenger refused to speculate on the extent of the damage amid reports that Giroud has broken a bone and could be out for two to three months.

“Olivier will not play against Besiktas. He will see a specialist and afterwards we will make an announcement as to how long he’ll be out,” Wenger said.

“It can be (long term), we’ll see. I don’t know (if it’s broken). It’s sad for us, but for the moment we are focused on the game.”

The loss of Giroud has robbed Arsenal of their first-choice striker as they seek to secure a 17th successive season in the group stage of the Champions League.

Wenger may now be forced into the transfer market in search of a replacement if the Gunners’ worst fears are realised and Giroud faces an extended spell on the sidelines.

When asked if his absence would impact on transfers, Wenger replied: “I don’t know. We are 24 hours from a big game and our focus is more on that than the transfer window.

“I’ve learnt one thing in our job – you say nothing categorically.”