FORGOTTEN striker Yaya Sanogo is the surprise inclusion as Arsenal confirmed their Champions League squad.
The French striker has not played since last April after picking up an injury while on loan at Charlton.
However, despite his lack of action, Wenger has opted for the giant forward in what could prove to be a secret weapon in their chase for Euro success.
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Sanogo’s latest knock came in November, but Wenger said he couldn’t explain the injury as the details were ‘confidential’.
He told the Daily Mirror: “He had a real medical problem that I cannot explain to you here because it is a confidential problem.
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“[It is] not a secret problem, but it is medical, I cannot speak about that.
“He has no life-threatening problem but he had a long-term injury, and I am not specialised enough to explain to you exactly what it is in his calf. But we had to rest him completely.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal club captain Per Mertesacker has returned to the Euro squad after missing out on the group stages through injury.
Danny Welbeck is also included after his successful return from his own injury woes.
And despite his long-term absence due to an injured achilles, midfield talisman Santi Cazorla has been named in the team.
Mathieu Debuchy also made the cut, but Carl Jenkinson is axed after failing to seal a move away from the Emirates last month.
ARSENAL'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SQUAD FOR KNOCKOUT STAGES
2. Mathieu Debuchy, 3. Kieran Gibbs, 4. Per Mertesacker, 5. Gabriel, 6. Laurent Koscielny, 7. Alexis Sánchez, 8. Aaron Ramsey, 9. Lucas Pérez, 11. Mesut Özil, 12. Olivier Giroud, 13. David Ospina, 14. Theo Walcott, 15. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 16. Rob Holding, 17. Alex Iwobi*, 18. Nacho Monreal, 19. Santi Cazorla, 20. Shkodran Mustafi, 22. Yaya Sanogo, 23. Danny Welbeck, 24. Héctor Bellerín*, 26. Emiliano Martínez, 29. Granit Xhaka, 31. Jeff Reine-Adélaïde, 33. Petr Čech, 34. Francis Coquelin, 35. Mohamed Elneny, 39. Tolaji Bola*, 42. Kristopher Da Graca*, 43. Josh Dasilva*, 46. Charlie Gilmour*, 49. Ryan Huddart*, 50. Deyan Iliev*, 51. Chiori Johnson*, 53. Hugo Keto*, 55. Ainsley Maitland-Niles*, 58. Marcus McGuane*, 60. Savvas Mourgos*, 65. Ben Sheaf*, 68. Chris Willock*, 72. Reiss Nelson*, 73. Eddie Nketiah*
*List B – A player must be registered on the List B if they are born on or after January 1 1995 and has been eligible to play for the club for any uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday (players aged 16 may be registered if they have been registered with the club for the previous two years)
The Gunners resume their Champions League campaign on Wednesday February 15 when they take on German giants Bayern Munich.
Arsenal’s Champions League campaign resumes on February 15 when Arsene Wenger’s side face European giants Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in their last 16 first-leg clash.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men will then travel to London for the second-leg fixture on Tuesday March 7.
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