• Premier League

Wenger fears for Ramsey as player thanks Whelan

Arsene Wenger fears there is a danger Aaron Ramsey may never be the same player following a horrendous leg break suffered by the young midfielder against Stoke City.

Ramsey spoke for the first time on Friday night about the incident that left his leg shattered in two places, pointedly neglecting to mention by name Ryan Shawcross and instead stating he did not want to "dwell" on the challenge from the Stoke defender.

Ramsey has undergone surgery and has been buoyed by messages of support from the football community, but he faces a lengthy recuperation period. Arsenal striker Eduardo suffered a similar injury against Birmingham in March 2008 and was sidelined for 11 months.

The Croatian striker has returned to become a prominent member of the Arsenal squad but Wenger is concerned that the pyscological impact of suffering such a serious injury may impact on the development of Ramsey, who at 19 had shown real potential for the club.

"When you are a football manager you are always scared," Wenger said. "If you have the Ramsey injury, you know he will come back. But you never know what the psychological impact on your future game is and that is what you are scared of.

"Some players put their foot in straight away again and some players are never the same. They lose that little bit of freedom to go into the challenges. Lose just that and you are not the same player."

Ramsey issued a statement on Friday night to thank those supporters that have sent him messages of support. The Wales international also thanked Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan for comforting him on the pitch but did not comment on Shawcross, who was strongly criticised by Wenger following the challenge but has been defended by Stoke manager Tony Pulis and a number of pundits.

"I remember what happened clearly and after the tackle went in I saw that my leg was broken and hanging at an angle," Ramsey said. "I have seen images of the aftermath of the collision again but I don't want to dwell too much on the challenge as I can't change what has happened.

"It is difficult for me to take everything in at the moment. I thought I had been progressing well this season, so of course this is a real setback. It is very hard to take but I am young and have time on my side. I had an operation last weekend and, while it will take time for my leg to heal, I am determined and focused on overcoming this injury and hope to be back fitter and stronger than before.

"I have been overwhelmed by the terrific support I have received from so many people, including fans from many different football clubs. In particular, I would like to thank the medical team here at Arsenal for their efforts, as well as the staff at both hospitals.

"Glenn Whelan was especially kind and I really appreciated his immediate assistance on the pitch as well as the medical support from Stoke City. I also want to say thanks to Arsenal for helping my family this week. Last but certainly not least, I have been blown away by the fantastic messages of support from the Arsenal fans. I am proud to be an Arsenal player and your support has been incredibly touching.

"Finally, I want to wish my team-mates all the best for the remainder of the season. I know that we are capable of winning a trophy and I will be backing them all the way."

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