LONDON -- Arsenal forward Theo Walcott is back in the squad for Saturday's FA Cup fourth round tie at Southampton after recovering from an ankle injury, Arsene Wenger has said.
Defenders Per Mertesacker and Mathieu Debuchy are also back in full training this week, leaving only long-term absentee Santi Cazorla on the injured list for Arsenal.
Walcott will boost Arsenal's attacking options even further, with Danny Welbeck having recently returned from a long-term knee injury, but Wenger remains short of midfielders as Granit Xhaka is suspended and Mohamed Elneny is at the African Nations Cup with Egypt.
"We have Theo Walcott back in the squad and of course we lose Granit Xhaka because he will be suspended," Wenger said at a news conference on Thursday. "The good news is that Per Mertesacker and Mathieu Debuchy are back in full training from tomorrow, so the squad is quite big but we are a bit short in midfield at the moment."
Wenger is still likely to rotate his line-up for the FA Cup match, having rested stars like Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Laurent Koscielny for the third-round win over Preston North End. Arsenal have a league match against Watford on Tuesday before travelling to Stamford Bridge next weekend for a crucial clash with leaders Chelsea.
But the Frenchman would not be drawn on exactly which players will be involved at Southampton.
"We'll put out a team with first-team experience. Maybe there will be one or two younger players, but no more," Wenger said. "I have not yet completely decided who will play and who will not play. It's a first-team squad who will be involved."
Wenger also reiterated that he expects a quiet end to the January transfer window, saying "We are not on the verge of signing anyone."
However, Debuchy and fellow right-back Carl Jenkinson could still leave the club if they find offers from elsewhere.
"I don't close the door [on Debuchy leaving]. What I just want to say is he's fully fit now and so he is available to play and maybe even to have an experience somewhere else," Wenger said.
Jenkinson was close to joining Crystal Palace, but the deal did not go through as the player couldn't agree personal terms. But Wenger didn't rule out that a move could still happen.
"As I said in the last press conference, only he has to agree personal terms. But at the moment, he has not managed to do that," he said.