Diaby excited by Arteta partnership

Abou Diaby has hailed fellow Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta and is looking forward to teaming-up with the Spaniard to help the Gunners end their trophy drought.

The French international has had a nightmare couple of seasons due to injury and hasn’t started a Premier League match for almost a year, meaning he could only look on as his team-mates once again failed to win silverware last term.

However, one of the brightest spots of Arsenal’s season was the form of Arteta, who after to signing from Everton on the final day of the summer transfer window, immediately established himself in the North Londoners’ midfield.

His creativity from the centre of the park was one of the main reasons for captain Robin van Persie’s superb season, which saw him comfortably win the golden boot with 30 goals.

With Diaby now back to full fitness, boss Arsene Wenger has even more options in the engine room and punters betting on sports predict the Gunners will enjoy a much smoother start to the season than they endured last year.

Diaby is looking forward to linking-up with the talented Arteta in order to help their side end their trophy drought.

"Mikel is a great player and he showed last season that he is a very important player in our team." Diaby told news sport reporters."I am looking forward to playing next to him.

"I personally prefer to play with three midfielders because I can go forward and I can also defend. I think it is the position that will suit me the best.

"Of course the midfield is different now because we are all different. The most important thing is to bring out singularities into the team to make it better. If we have a mix of all that, it can be a very good thing," he added.

Patience is Key for Wilshere

Jack Wilshere’s injury nightmare is spiralling out of control, with experts and supporters alike wondering if the midfielder will ever reach his top-class standards again.

The talented midfielder, a product of Arsenal’s blooming youth academy, has failed to fully recover from the knee and ankle problems that kept him out of Euro 2012. His expected return date is now October, but cynics on the Betfair football betting website are already wondering if this deadline will be extended.

Wilshere’s injury problems have dogged what promised – and still promises – to be a glittering career. The 20-year-old still has a long future ahead of him, but his recent injury record at such a young age does not bode well, should problems persist.

Having missed a large amount of his four seasons as a full professional, Wilshere didn’t play any part of Arsenal’s 2011/12 campaign. Arsenal and England fans must be praying the youngster can soon return to action, or his career may crash land before it even takes off.

For a young player to have suffered such a long time away from the game is very concerning. His comeback – whenever it does happen – will be closely monitored by Arsenal’s backroom staff. Questions over his fitness will coincide with concerns his playing ability has been hampered by such a long exile.

Wilshere must be careful that he does not lose the standard Arsenal fans expect of him. The road back to full recovery will not stop when he is fully fit; it will take a long time for the England star to regain his sharpness.

Gunners fans must be patient when their prodigal son returns, and not expect immediate results from a player absent from the game for almost 15 months.

Catch up on the other Premier League teams expected to make a splash, next season, on the Betfair website. Liverpool and four other clubs are currently enjoying Olympic upsets, owing to the exit of Uruguay, Switzerland, and Spain.