Arsenal are "planning" to start Laurent Koscielny for the UEFA Europa League group match against Qarabag at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
Head coach Unai Emery revealed the plans as he attempts to juggle his squad amid a spate of injuries at the back. It would mean a first start for French centre-back Koscielny since May, when he withdrew from the second leg of Arsenal's Europa League semi-final defeat to eventual tournament winners Atletico Madrid.
The Gunners have already qualified as winners of Group E, but Emery is still keen to get the returning Koscielny back up to speed quickly.