Arsenal Midfielder Begins Injury Return in Order to Salvage Emirates Career – Report

Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby has begun his latest attempt to rebuild his career in north London after returning to light running following a second bout of surgery, according to The Mirror.

Diaby tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in March and was ruled out for the remainder of the year after going under the knife to fix the problem, but underwent further surgery in October to prolong his absence.

The French international is now not due back until March and has recently begun his road to recovery with some light jogging but he faces a long road to achieving full recovery.

The 27 year old's career at Arsenal has been decimated by injury and with less than two years remaining on his current contract, the midfielder is fighting for his future at the Emirates.

The Gunners signed Mathieu Flamini and Mesut Ozil in the summer, and given Aaron Ramsey's emergence and Jack Wilshere's recent improvement, Diaby's role in the Arsenal first team appears uncertain.

Manager Arsene Wenger said last month: "He had a little key hole surgery again, on the knee because his knee blew up every time he did something so it is now six months after the cruciate.

"He could not even jog yet so with new surgery it is a setback for him so competitive football cannot be played before March."

While Diaby faces a long wait to return to first team action, Arsenal are hopeful both Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - both of whom haven't featured since August - could return before the New Year.

Podolski has been suffering from a hamstring tear picked up in the Champions League play-off against Fenerbahce while Oxlade-Chamberlain limped out of the Premier League opener against Aston Villa with a knee injury.

The news follows Theo Walcott's return from abdominal surgery against Southampton and Marseille ahead of the busiest period of the campaign.