Arsenal's summer woes have been compounded by the news that Kolo Toure has been diagnosed with malaria.
It's thought that the defender contracted the disease while on holiday in his native Ivory Coast. After flying out for Arsenal's pre-season tour of Austria and Hungary, the 27-year-old was sent to hospital in Vienna where malaria was diagnosed.
Although an Arsenal spokesperson described Toure as "being in good spirits", it seems unlikely he will be fit for the start of the new season. That leaves Arsene Wenger with only Johan Djourou or Philippe Senderos as potential partners for William Gallas after he decided against recruiting any new defenders this summer.
Your Comments
efcking
"vila just missed out on 6th to us villa81 your an idoit we finished fifth we won the league outside the top four and i no when the fixtures come out i dont look to see when we will meet villa because there a poor team with a ran away manager i look for liverpool man u chelsea arsenal spurs and newcastle because there team danger teams and ill go and put a bet on this at the weekend i bet everton and newcastle finish above villa. it shows a bad team when the best player wants out barry knows villa are poor like rooney knew we was years ago but know were miles ahead of teams like yours. bottom half finish for villa watch this space"
deeside_exile
"Well Tallulah you're obviously not a doctor. Ever heard of genetically modified. Well that's Toure now....for life. he won't know when ,how and if it will strike him again. Could be milder.could even kill him (it does to millions (that's 000,000s) round the world every year. Might even destroy his career eventually.I've seen loads of people visiting India who never take the tablets (about £15 for a 2 week holiday)and most excape malaria....but just maybe...sometime...it will get them. Want to risk it? oh and by the way goldcoastgooner chloroquine helps protect, not cures! "
mchard
"It would appear that the majority of your subscribers are from overseas; or is it just the SMS culture that distorts their written English -- No wut uh meen sorta fing init!"
cormacok86
"newcastle might have a better team of players individually, but villa play better because they have a better manager"
villa81
"EFCKing you obviously know so much about football. Newcastle a better team than us ? Pull the other one sunshine. League table doesnt lie, last season we finished above them... hammered them 4-1 at home if I remember rightly ? Just missed out on 6th to your sorry outfit after throwing away games at Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham along with Blackburn and Boro at home. Still, were going to be in the UEFA cup anyway along with yourselves. I can rest easy knowing we'll NEVER be as bad as Newcastle. Infact, have Newcastle ever won anything at all ?"
MUFC_Jake
"You havee to fell sorry for king kolo he is probably arsenals best defender because he can keep his head unlike Gallas senderos and Eboue he is the only arsenal defender who can play consistantly well & not cause to many mistakes unlike senderos, i think that arsenal are going to have a shaky start to the season until toure comes back "
Tallulah
"My friend had malaria earlier in the year, he was fine in a few weeks."
nunu
"awww ive always liked kolo toure...hope he gets well soon...he is a great defender (cmn from a chelsea fan) "
efcking
"behave villa81 pistone wasnt a bad player on his day a good left footed player. Boumsong on his record he's a top top defender just didnt cut it in the prem and as for joey barton villa would love to have him he's another top player (he's just an ar*ehole) newcastle have maid some top signings in th past 10 years but the player haven't clicked. abit like real madrid of late. villa are the most over rated team in the prem and the fans think there the best hahahaha. newcastle are by far a better team an thats from an everton fan"
Fowlers_Rolin_9
"no one was suggesting that newcastle were better in the transfer market or had better centre backs, they were simply and truthfully saying toure wont be missed cos he aint that good.. he wouldnt get in at man u, chelsea or pool i doubt."
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