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LONDON. — Arsenal and England forward Theo Walcott is to undergo “minor” surgery on his abdomen today which will keep him out of action until after next month’s World Cup qualifiers, the English Premier League soccer leaders announced yesterday.
Walcott’s injury means he will be sidelined from the Wembley fixtures against Montenegro and Poland on October 11 and 15 respectively, with England still to book their place at next year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.

The winger missed Sunday’s win over Stoke City after developing slight damage to his posterior abdominal wall and the club believe Walcott should now undergo what the Arsenal website called a “minor procedure” as this will enable him to start his recovery immediately afterwards.

“Theo will be out for a few weeks,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told the website. “He has developed some damage to his posterior abdominal wall. It’s not a hernia, but it’s a little structural problem in his abdomen.
“He will have the procedure in Germany on Wednesday (today) and, because it’s so minor, we can begin his rehab immediately. — AFP.