Traore will soon know where his future lies

Armand Traore has long been earmarked as a first team regular at Arsenal, but he has slipped down the pecking order in recent months. The injury to Kieran Gibbs - and Arsene Wenger's reaction to it, will however, give the young Frenchman an indication of where his future lies.

Before his loan spell at Portsmouth last season, Traore was Arsenal's second choice left-back, but while he was on the south coast another young contender emerged to take his crown. Gibbs' performances for Arsenal last season, bar an unfortunate slip in the Champions League semi-final, were extremely impressive and with his stock risen dramatically, some even suggested that he should be included in the World Cup squad.

The young Englishman took his club form into the international arena during the summer helping England Under-21s to the final of the European Championship in Sweden.

Clichy's recent injury - a fractured vertebrae in his lower back - had given Gibbs a chance to impress further and maybe even give Wenger a dilemma as to who the first choice left-back would be upon Clichy's return. The 19 year-old, however, has now succumbed to injury and Arsenal have a number of options for his replacement.

Traore would be the obvious replacement given his youth and exuberance in defence and attack, something Wenger values in his full-backs. His performances for struggling Portsmouth last season were solid, but he was often deployed further forward, but he has shown in the past he is capable of performing well in the full-back position.

Traore has competition from fellow Frenchman, Mikael Silvestre who can also cover the problem spot. His lack of pace and advancing years led some Arsenal fans to dub him "gereatric" in last season AGM, and although he is a solid defender he may struggle with pacey and tricky wingers, in particular the likes of Joe Cole who could be linking up against him when Arsenal face Chelsea in a couple of weeks.

Another possibility includes shifting Thomas Vermaelen to left-back, a familiar position to the Belgian, having played there for Ajax, but Wenger would be reluctant to split up the relatively successful central defensive partnership. Emmanuel Eboue could also step in, but a right-footed left-back is not ideal.

It therefore looks to be a choice between Traore and Silvestre for the starting berth and if the young frenchman is not included then it looks increasingly likely that he has no future at the club.