Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin has been ruled out for four weeks, meaning he will not be available for this weekend’s Premier League trip to Manchester United.

Arsene Wenger confirmed the bad news on Thursday morning after the right-back suffered an injury in the closing seconds of the north London derby draw two weeks’ ago. While attentions have been on the fitness of Alexis Sanchez heading into the hotly-anticipated match, new of Bellerin’s prolonged absence will be a big loss for Arsenal, with the defender one of the first names on the teamsheet this season.

“Hector is out for about four weeks,” Wenger said in his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning. “He was injured in the last 10 seconds against Spurs.”

Wenger also confirmed that the injury with the result of a clash with Tottenham defender Danny Rose, and Bellerin’s absence will see either Carl Jenkinson or Mathieu Debuchy given a run in the first-team while the Spaniard recovers.

Wenger did deliver a positive update on Sanchez to confirm that he had contacted the Arsenal manager to say he was fit to play this weekend, having come through Chile’s South America World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Tuesday despite suffering a hamstring injury last week.

Sanchez played with his right thigh heavily bandaged, and Wenger will wait to assess the Chile international before deciding whether to start the forward or deploy Olivier Giroud instead.

Arsenal transfer targets Show all 7 1 /7 Arsenal transfer targets Arsenal transfer targets Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) Arsenal were reportedly interested in signing the Gabonese striker in the summer and may return with an offer to Dortmund at the end of the season. Aubameyang has been in scintillating form this season, scoring 15 goals in 15 games in all competitions. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Paul-Georges Ntep (Rennes) The left-midfielder’s deal at Rennes expires at the end of the season and so he will be free to sign a pre-contract in January. A strong dribbler of the ball, Ntep has been made two appearances for France. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Reece Oxford (West Ham) After Oxford became West Ham’s youngest ever player to appear in the Premier League at just 16 years old (his debut came against the Gunners), he immediately attracted interest from some of England’s big clubs, including Arsenal. However he is reportedly set to sign a new five-year deal. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) The 21-year-old Uruguayan has already played 21 times for his country and has been touted as a future world-class centre-back. Currently on the books of Atletico Madrid, Gimenez is not a regular and a move in January would surely appeal to him. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Peter Gwargis - Husqvarna “Who?” you may ask. The Swedish midfielder is just 16 years old and has been compared to current Arsenal attacker Mesut Özil after he started training with the Husqvarna first team in his home country. The Gunners face competition from PSV for his signature according to the player’s representative. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Stefan de Vrij (Lazio) The Netherlands defender is contracted to Lazio until 2019 but has been linked with a move to Chelsea and Arsenal. De Vrij, who used to play for Feyenoord in his home country, has been in good form this season as Lazio sit fourth in Serie A. Getty Arsenal transfer targets Chris Smalling (Manchester United) After Jose Mourinho’s strong public criticism of the England defender, other Premier League clubs have been put on alert if Smalling decides he wants to leave the Manchester club. Getty

Influential midfielder Santo Cazorla will also miss the Old Trafford encounter as the Spaniard is yet to return to training after suffering an Achilles injury in the 6-0 victory over Ludogorets last month, and he looks certain to miss the Champions League group game against Paris Saint-Germain next week as well as the trip to United this weekend.