Wenger explains Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's chances of making Arsenal debut against Everton

Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang is to be assessed today (Friday 2 February) before Arsene Wenger decides whether to hand him his Arsenal debut against Everton.

Aubameyang, 28, completed his move from Borussia Dortmund to the Gunners on transfer deadline day for a club record fee. The Gabon international has taken part in two training sessions since arriving in north Nondon, but a bout of illness could delay his first appearance for the club.

Danny Welbeck, meanwhile, remains sidelined due to a hip injury but Henrikh Mkhitaryan, reunited with Aubameyang at the Emirates following their spell together at Borussia Dortmund, is set for his full debut after a brief cameo off the bench against Swansea City midweek.

"Aubameyang was sick as well so we have to assess him today. Apart from that, Welbeck is not completely back from injury. He's not ready," Wenger told a press conference, relayed through the club's official website.

"Certainly Mkhitaryan will start. That's a possibility, yes. Aubameyang, I have to assess how well he feels."

Jack Wilshere is another who has struggled with illness this week, missing the 3-1 defeat in south Wales as a result. The England international has reclaimed his starting role in the centre of midfield in recent months and Wenger hopes he will be available on Saturday – even if just for a spot on the subs' bench.

"We had Jack who was sick – I still have to assess him today. I hope he will be capable of being in the squad. He's better. He'll train with the team today and we'll see how he feels."

On Thursday, Arsenal announced the news that Mesut Ozil had penned a new contract at the club, which will keep him at the Emirates until 2021.

The Germany international's contract had been set to expire at the end of the season before he renewed terms, with Wilshere now in the same position. The club and the player have been in talks over a new deal for the Arsenal academy star and Wenger suggests a similar conclusion could be on the cards.

When asked if others could follow Ozil in signing new deals, Wenger said: "Yes, you know you will see that more and more, that players go to the end of a contract. I said that many times. Why? Because there's expected inflation on the wages. The demands are so high that you cannot always give in. The Alexis example is a big one. That doesn't mean that you don't start to extend the contracts early enough. We started a long, long time ago. At the end of the day, you can accept the demands or not, and that will happen more and more, especially with the level of the transfer market."