Toure contracted malaria while on holiday in his native Ivory Coast, but has been training with his team-mates in Austria.

Though the defender missed Monday's friendly comfortable win over a Burgenland XI, Gunners manager Wenger predicts Toure will be able to line up against West Bromwich Albion on 16th August.

their blood

"Kolo has started to practise again, so that's quite good news for us," Wenger said.

"It will take two weeks for him to play, but he will be ready for the first Premier League game."

Toure underwent tests on the disease in the Austrian capital Vienna, but Wenger admits it was never a serious issue.

He added: "Most of the players have that (malaria) in their blood in Africa. He had a little resurgence of it because he caught it in Africa.

"They recover quickly from that. After two days he was okay."