France U21 and Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has been ruled out for up to four months by a stress fracture of his right foot. The left back picked up the injury in France's Under-21 playoff against England last Friday, Arsenal said in a statement on Thursday.

Ironically, the French players injury is identical to the one suffered by England left back Ashley Cole, the very player he has been replacing in that position for the Arsenal first team since mid-October.

Clichy's injury is a recurrence of an injury that ended the 20-year-old's previous season for his club side Arsenal in April.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Cole would be sidelined for probably another five weeks, and told Arsenal TV Online in an interview that Gael Clichy would have to undergo surgery again to treat the problem.

"The injury is in the same place where he had a screw put in before," said Wenger, "It is terrible for the boy, we feel really bad for him. "For us it is hard to take as well because we have no left backs who are really comfortable in that position."

Wenger's options are limited, but he is likely to use another French defender, Pascal Cygan, who has been used by Arsene Wenger in that position 8 times so far, in Saturday's Premiership game away to Wigan Athletic.

Another option available to the French manager is Swiss wonderkid Philippe Senderos, who has been on excellent form for his country, playing a massive part in helping Switzerland to qualify for next Summers World Cup Finals.

This will be a major blow for Clichy, who will be hoping to break into the France senior squad in time for the World Cup Finals next June.

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