Johan Djourou is facing up to six months on the sidelines after undergoing a knee operation.

The Arsenal defender went under the knife in Geneva on Friday, with the Swiss football federation confirming the procedure had been carried out on their official website.

The 22-year-old had been hoping to push for a regular starting berth with the Gunners this season, following the summer sale of Kolo Toure to Manchester City.

However, on the advice of medical staff, he has opted to have surgery in an effort to rid himself of a niggling ailment.

The Switzerland international was forced to pull out of his country’s clash with Italy last month after struggling with a recurrence of a knee problem.

Djourou is hoping to be back in action by March 2010 and is still hopeful of being involved at next summer’s World Cup finals – should Switzerland qualify.

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Arsene Wengr has said today that Cesc Fabregas’s scan results are reassuring and that he will not play in the Celtic game but maybe be available for the match at old trafford on Saturday.

In all this is what he said on the matter:

“From last Saturday we lost Cesc Fabregas who did not train today” the manager said.

“His scan was quite reassuring as he has no muscular strain but it will take a few days to settle down.

“There’s a chance he’ll be fit for Old Trafford.”