Arsenal manager Unai Emery says the club will consider handing injured forward Danny Welbeck a new deal before the end of the season.
Welbeck broke his right ankle during a 0-0 draw in the group stages of Europa League at home against Sporting and is unlikely to feature again during this campaign.
His contract expires at the end of the season and - given the form of first-choice strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, it was expected the Englishman would be allowed to move on.
However, Emery claims that the forward could still be given a new contract and continue as cover for the aforementioned duo, and was positive on the 28-year-old's recovery.
"[Welbeck]'s progressing very well," Emery said.
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"He is working and starting to touch the ball and working on the pitch. His progress with such a big injury is going very well.
"It's difficult for him to play matches this season but he is progressing very well and maybe the doctor will tell us he can come train with us in the last weeks of this season.
"After, his individual thing is to speak with the club [about his future]."
Emery was keen to stress the importance of having English players in the Arsenal dressing room, and Welbeck adds to that number following the departure of Jack Wilshere to West Ham in the summer, having seen the likes of Theo Walcott, Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave before him.
"Every [English] team needs English players.
"Danny has his injury now. He was going with the national team and we were happy for him and the national team."
However, the Spaniard had high hopes for the English blood coming through the Gunners' youth ranks, with the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock impressing at times this season.
"[Promising English players] are now in [Arsenal's] under-18s, under-19s, under-20s and under-21s teams.
"We have a lot of players with the possibility to grow up with us and be part of our future, and also with the national team."
