Wenger confirms Ozil return for Swansea trip

Arsenal will welcome back a slew of returnees for the clash with Swansea City, including Mesut Ozil, who missed the club's last two league matches and the FA Cup nailbiter over Preston North End with the flu.

"Basically we have the same players available as last week, plus (Laurent) Koscielny is coming back, Petr Cech is back in the squad, Mesut Ozil and Alexis (Sanchez) as well," manager Arsene Wenger said Friday, according to Arsenal.com.

All four were in training on the snow-covered pitches of Colney on Friday ahead of the trip west on the M4 to face Paul Clement's lot.

On the heels of the holiday glut of matches, a few nicks and niggles see three other squad regulars miss out.

"Hector Bellerin is still out, Francis Coquelin is still out - they could make next week, they are not far," Wenger added about his trusted defensive-minded pairing, with the latter recovering from a hamstring injury after just signing a new deal with the club earlier in the week.

While returns for Bellerin and Coquelin appear not far off, Theo Walcott's protracted recovery from a calf injury continues.

"Walcott is still out. He is one of the players who doesn't come back. But he was not rested last week, he was injured. He is now out for three-and-a-half weeks, and I think he will not be available for Burnley. He will need another week, two more weeks," Wenger explained.

Asked for his thoughts on Walcott's status, Wenger answered, "Not concerned, because it was at the start a little calf problem, but he was not comfortable when he started to train again and we had to pull him out again."

With Bellerin out, Gabriel or academy product Ainsley Maitland-Niles - who had an erratic display against Preston - will likely take over right-back duties, while Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka appear set to occupy a two-man midfield in Coquelin's absence.

Wenger capped off his presser by fielding queries about the futures of Ozil and Sanchez. With both players' contracts at the Emirates set to expire in 2018, much has been made of the star tandem and the way their Arsenal tenures are tethered to the gaffer's unresolved stay at the club.

After club general secretary David Miles said in December that talks were going well with the attacking duo, Wenger was equal parts confident and terse when asked how he feels about the situation.

"Very relaxed," Wenger said, expressing a level of certainty not shared by all Gunners supporters.