LONDON: Dutch striker Robin van Persie's ankle injury is worse than first feared and he will be out of Arsenal's team for at least four months.

Van Persie was carried off on a stretcher in a friendly between the Netherlands and Italy earlier this month after landing badly following a tackle by Giorgio Chiellini.

"In order to repair his (right) ankle Robin will undergo surgery next week in Amsterdam to reconstruct the ligaments," Arsenal said on Saturday.