Arsene Wenger is preparing to hand Jack Wilshere a lifeline when Arsenal open their Europa League campaign against Cologne on Thursday night.
The midfielder, who hasn’t played for the Gunners since August 27 last year, is likely to be drafted in as Wenger rotates his squad.
25-year-old Wilshere has fought his way back to fitness after breaking his leg during last season’s loan spell at Bournemouth.
Jack Wilshere is in line for a start when Arsenal open their Europa League campaign at home to Cologne on Thursday night
Wilshere hasn’t played for Arsenal in 13 months, spending much of last season out on loan at Bournemouth before injury
Arsene Wenger is expected to make wholesale changes for the match at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday evening
He made the decision to stay at the Emirates Stadium after Wenger assured him he would get game time in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions.
Wilshere trained alongside his colleagues at a sunny London Colney on Wednesday morning as Arsenal prepare to open their group stage against the Bundesliga outfit.
Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott, David Ospina and Alexis Sanchez are all in line to start on Thursday with Wenger planning wholesale changes.
Alexis Sanchez is expected to start for Arsenal on Thursday night as the Chilean builds up his game time following injury
Wenger speaks to Shkodran Mustafi ahead of Wednesday morning’s training session at London Colney
Mustafi and Sead Kolasinac train on Wednesday morning ahead of Arsenal’s first game in the secondary European competitions in 17 years
Kolasinac and Mustafi walk out to train at London Colney ahead of Thursday night’s visit of Cologne in the Europa League
Theo Walcott is also in contention to start on Thursday as Wenger rotates his squad with one eye on Sunday’s trip to Chelsea
Sanchez came off the bench to complete 15 minutes of the 3-0 home win over Bournemouth on Saturday, having been taken off during Arsenal’s humiliating 4-0 loss at Liverpool the weekend before.
The Chilean is desperately in need of extended game time having seen the start of his season delayed due to injury.
Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Danny Welbeck, Granit Xhaka, Laurent Koscielny and Petr Cech all sat out Wednesday morning’s session, further hinting at mass changes.
Olivier Giroud, another player likely to start Thursday’s match, strikes the ball during training
Wenger is expected to give game time to Sanchez, Wilshere, Walcott and Giroud on Thursday night
Alexis Sanchez, Mohamed Elneny and Olivier Giroud are pictured training at sunny London Colney on Wednesday
Another factor behind Wenger’s rotation policy is Sunday’s visit to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Arsenal have not played in the Europa League since their penalty shoot-out loss to Galatasaray in the 2000 UEFA Cup final.
Cologne haven’t played in European competition of any form since 1992.