Santi Cazorla named in Arsenal's Europa League squad

Arsenal have named Santi Cazorla in their squad for the knockout stage of the Europa League. The Spain international is currently recovering from a recurrent Achilles injury for which he underwent a 10th operation earlier this season.

According to UEFA's website, Cazorla has been added to the squad alongside winter signings Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Konstantinos Mavropanos, though Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible after Borussia Dortmund dropped into the competition via a third-place finish in their Champions League group.

Wenger has publicly suggested that Cazorla may not return to first-team action until the first-half of the 2018/19 season, but the club appear to have nevertheless added the Spaniard in their squad as a sign of respect towards him than anything else.

Meanwhile, the likes of Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Mathieu Debuchy and Francis Coquelin have been omitted from the squad after their respective departures from the Emirates in the summer.

Arsenal are presently regarded as second favourites behind Atletico Madrid to win the Europa League, though the likes of Napoli and Borussia Dortmund could yet offer stiff competition for the title.