Carl Jenkinson could be in line for a return to first team action after making his long awaited comeback for the reserves on Tuesday night in a 5-0 win over Norwich.
The defender has been sidelined for more than three months after suffering a back injury just as he was beginning to show glimpses of the form that led manager Arsene Wenger to sign him from Charlton.
Jenkinson played 45 minutes of the reserve team match and could be in contention for a start at the weekend when Tottenham are the visitors to the Emirates.
"It is fantastic to be back,” he told the Arsenal official website. “It has been really hard coming in every day and doing my rehab stuff, but I am delighted to be back now.
“The injury felt fine; I had no problems with it at all, which is great news because you never know how you are going to react in a game."
Arsenal currently lie in fourth position in the league, just one place below north London rivals Tottenham, but a massive 10 points behind their bitter rivals.
The Gunners have struggled in defence in recent weeks with a number of injuries to key players, and with Per Mertesacker out for a number of week, Wenger will be keen to get Jenkinson back in the side.
