Gilberto to miss start of season
June 6, 2007
Arsenal will have to cope without midfielder Gilberto
Gilberto will miss the start of next season after being selected to captain Brazil at the Copa America this month in Venezuela.
The Arsenal midfielder, who is playing for his country in a friendly against Turkey in Dortmund tonight, will today be named in the 22-man Brazil squad for the tournament, which runs from 26 June to 15 July.
Gilberto will take a holiday after the competition and will not return to pre-season training until August, which will rule him out of Arsenal’s first-leg Champions League qualifier in early August and their opening Premiership fixture on 11 August.
The Brazilian said: “I have spoken to Arsene [Wenger] and he is aware of the situation. I will have a rest after the Copa America and will miss the first few games of the campaign because I’ll be doing my own pre-season.”
Gilberto’s position in the Arsenal side for the early season fixtures could be taken by fellow Brazilian Denilson, who has not been selected for the Copa America.
Meanwhile Arsenal had hoped to sign winger Franck Ribery from Marseille but he is set to join Bayern Munich.
Initial discussions have already taken place, and officials from the clubs will meet again later this week with a view to completing a £17million transfer.
Another busy summer for the Bert-meister…