Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday he is ready to release Junichi Inamoto if the combative midfielder is called up for international duty for Japan's friendly against Italy next month.
Inamoto, however, was again forced to wait to make his Premier League debut as Wenger left him out of the Arsenal squad that will entertain Blackburn Rovers at Highbury on Saturday.
Japan, which will cohost next year's World Cup with South Korea, take on Italy in the Kirin Challenge Cup at newly built Saitama Stadium 2002 on Nov. 7.