Arsene Wenger has revealed that his team is struggling with injuries with many key players like Abou Diaby unlikely to make it to the start of the new season. At the moment, the players are spending more time in Arsenal Hospitality than on the pitch!

The 22-year-old picked up a groin injury after returning from international duty with Denmark at the World Cup, and despite Wenger saying earlier this month that the injury was not serious, he is now unsure of the extent of the injury.

"Bendtner will not be available for the start of the season," he told the club’s official website. "We don't know [how bad it is]."

Denilson and Abou Diaby have also been struggling with injuries, while Wenger does not yet know whether World Cup finalists Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie will be able to start the season following an extended break after the tournament.

He said: "Denilson should be [fit] - maybe not for the Emirates Cup [this weekend] but for the Warsaw game [on August 7] and Abou Diaby as well.

"Fabregas and Van Persie are due to come back on August 5 and from then on we will see how much build-up work is needed physically and as well how they have recovered mentally from the World Cup.

"They might be short for the first game [of the season] but I don't know, that will depend on the fitness work they have done during the holiday."