Arsene Wenger willing to take gamble on Laurent Koscielny for Leicester clash

LAURENT KOSCIELNY could be hurried back into Premier League action to solve Arsenal’s defensive crisis.

Laurent Koscielny - 5 things you need to know

Arsenal started the season with Calum Chambers and Premier League rookie Rob Holding in the heart of their defence and promptly conceded four goals in just over an hour of the opening game against Liverpool.

Per Mertesacker and Gabriel are out injured for four months and eight weeks respectively and Koscielny was considered not ready after taking part in the latter stages of this summer’s tournament in France.

However, six days later Wenger is considering pressing him back into action, with Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud also contenders for a place at least on the bench as Arsenal look to bounce back from their opening day defeat away to defending champions Leicester on Saturday.

“I will have to take a gamble maybe, but I will still have 48 hours to decide that and if I have to take a gamble on one, it’s certainly on Koscielny,” Wenger said.

“It’s a bit early, yes, but I have three players who have not played here for two and a half months.

“The clubs always pay for the fact that the players played in these tournaments. What has changed in the Euros is that it lasts a month like the World Cup.

Laurent KoscielnyGETTY

Laurent Koscielny could be rushed back by Arsene Wenger due to Arsenal's injury woes

“The Euros finish on the 10th of July, and the Premier League starts on the 14th of August. So what can you do?

"You give the player a normal holiday, and they are not ready to start the championship, or you don’t give them the holiday and they are mentally and physically jaded.

“I gave Laurent a holiday at the start, because I thought we would have Gabriel and Mertesacker. Unfortunately we lost the two, and Sunday we were short of experience.“

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