According to reports, Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker could be out for up to five months due to a knee injury.

The Gunners, priced at 7.00 to win the Premier League this season, have yet to fully understand the extent of the injury but an announcement is expected in the coming days.

The German is awaiting results from scans after he got inured during Friday’s friendly with Lens.

Due to the setback he has missed the club’s pre-season tour of the United States and the injury will only add to manager Arsene Wenger’s woes.

The Frenchman managed to guide Arsenal into second place again last season but he has only made one major signing this summer in Granit Xhaka.

Arsenal have lost the likes of Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky, Matthieu Flamini and Wellington Silva in the off-season and Wenger may now need to dip into the transfer market.

Mertesacker was expected to be promoted from vice-captain to captain this year due to the departure of Arteta to Manchester City but his latest injury gives Wenger plenty of selection headaches.

Fellow centre-back Gabriel Paulista is currently struggling with tonsillitis and Laurent Koscielny is still on an extended break after reaching the Euro 2016 final with France.

The current selection issues mean that Calum Chambers is their only fit senior centre-back for their tour of the US.

However, new signing Rob Holding may slot in ahead of their game against Chivas on Monday.