Arsenal’s medical team yesterday assessed the extent of Theo Walcott’s ankle injury, which could sideline the England winger for the rest of the month.
Walcott had been in decent form for the Gunners, scoring four goals in three games before the international break.
However, the 21-year-old was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays after turning his ankle in the build-up to Wayne Rooney’s opening goal in the 3-1 win over Switzerland in Basle.
Initial fears of a break were dispelled by Capello after the match.
However, even if it is just a bad sprain with no torn ligaments, then Walcott is almost certain to miss Saturday’s Premier League visit of Bolton as well as the Champions League opener against Braga.
Laudrup vows to beat cancer
Former Denmark forward Brian Laudrup has revealed he is undergoing treatment for cancer.
The 41-year-old, who enjoyed a highly successful spell with Rangers from 1994-98 during which time he won three league titles, has been diagnosed with lymphoma.
“I am obviously shocked by the diagnosis, but also know that there is now a tough battle ahead of me – a battle I will win,” Laudrup told TV3, where he works as a commentator.
“Fortunately, I have had very optimistic reports from doctors to support me.”
Toure explains skipper snub
Kolo Toure has revealed that he lost the captain’s armband at Manchester City as manager Roberto Mancini believes extra responsibility will bring the best out of Carlos Tevez.
Toure became City skipper following his £15 million move from Arsenal last summer and retained the armband following the appointment of Mancini in December.
However, it was Tevez who started the season with the honour of wearing the armband.
“The boss came to see me at the start of the season and told me he had a difficult decision to make,” Toure said. “He broke the news that he would be making Carlos captain, in order that he would become a lot more involved with the club’s squad.
“I told him it was not a problem and accepted his decision.”
Mascherano exit a big problem – Reina
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has described the loss of midfielder Javier Mascherano to Barcelona this summer as a “big problem” for the Merseyside club.
“The departure of Mascherano is a big problem for Liverpool because he is one of the best players of his type on the pitch,” Reina said.
“Javier is very competitive, very Argentinian and he always offers his maximum in every game. For Barca this is a good new thing, but it’s not for us.
““He was good on the pitch, broke up counter attacks and now we need other players with his characteristics.”
Montolivo stalls contract talks
Fiorentina president Andrea Della Valle says he was “totally stunned” by the decision of midfielder Riccardo Montolivo to stall over a new contract.
The Italy international was expected to sign a new deal with the Viola but instead broke off talks in order to assess the options available to him.
Montolivo has been linked with Premier League clubs Arsenal and Manchester City, as well as Italian champions Inter, and Della Valle was shocked when the player refused to commit his future to the club at such a late stage.
“I was left totally stunned by this Montolivo contract renewal situation,” Della Valle said. “There were only a few details left to be decided. I would hate for his agent to be involved in this turnaround.”
Santa Cruz still keen on Lazio
Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz has not given up hope of playing in Serie A in the future.
The Paraguay striker came close to joining Lazio only for the deal to fall through on the final day of the window.
Santa Cruz said: “I had hoped to arrive in Rome, that was my dream.
“Unfortunately, the deal fell through. There has been a lot of talk of my arrival to Italy and perhaps next time it will materialise.”
Lazio themselves have not ruled out making another attempt to acquire Santa Cruz in January.
“We will see what happens in the next few months,” said Santa Cruz.
“I am happy in England but Italian football fascinates me and I would love to have an experience in Serie A.”
Fans angry at rising prices
Borussia Dortmund fans plan a boycott of their Bundesliga derby against bitter rivals Schalke on September 19 in protest over rising ticket prices.
The match is one of four Bundesliga games this season at Schalke’s Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen where top prices will be charged and a standing-room only seat will cost 22 euros, almost eight euros more than last year.
A seat for Dortmund fans in the visitors section will cost 50 euros.
Almost 200 supporters clubs and fan groups of Dortmund have joined the protest so far and are urging their members to give back any tickets they have bought in a mass protest.