Arsenal's Toure Likely to Miss Start of Season With Malaria

Kolo Toure has added to Arsène Wenger's problems after the the Arsenal defender was diagnosed as suffering from malaria. Toure is believed to have contracted the disease while on holiday in his native Ivory Coast and is unlikely to be well enough to start Arsenal's Premier League campaign.

Toure was sent to hospital in Vienna after club medical staff had become concerned. Professor Christopher Whitty, a specialist on the disease, said that the type of malaria found in the Ivory Coast is usually completely treatable if diagnosed at an early stage, as in Toure's case. The player is highly unlikely to suffer any long-term effects once he recovers, which should take between two weeks and a month.

Malaria is is extremely common in Africa and Yakubu, Celestine Babayaro and Lomana LuaLua have all returned to the Premier League over the last couple of years having contracted the disease.