Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck hasn’t played since April, and is showing no sign of returning anytime soon.

The forward could be back after the international break but the incredibly clouded noises from the club make that seem unlikely. Ever since he suffered his injury – supposedly a ‘bruised bone’ issue with his knee – he hasn’t gotten any closer to returning.

The Gunners were linked with a move for Karim Benzema all summer before allegedly turning their attention to Edinson Cavani at the end of the window. Meanwhile Joel Campbell, who seems surplus to requirements and not particularly favoured by Wenger, surprisingly stayed despite lengthy negotiations with Palermo.

According to the Daily Mail concerns over Welbeck’s fitness prompted further interest in signing a big name striker, which Arsenal couldn’t pull off. This suggestion has plenty of weight when you realise the club has never gone into much detail over Welbeck’s injury.

This would also shed some light on the decision not to sell Joel Campbell. It seems pretty clear he has no significant future at Arsenal, so you wouldn’t expect the club to price themselves out of negotiations.

The Costa Rican spent the second half of last season on loan with Villarreal and was an unused substitute at St. James’ Park at the weekend after plenty of time in the wilderness. Whatever is going on with Welbeck is odd, and that may be the reason behind suggestions that the club blocked the sale of Campbell.

Either way I have defended the club all summer, but if Welbeck’s injury does turn out to be far more serious than reported even I would start to have real concerns about the way we have gone about our business.