Arsene Wenger has revealed that Danny Welbeck will be back in action for Arsenal by early next year.

The 25-year-old striker sustained a serious knee injury in May which was expected to keep him out for nine months.

Welbeck was in hospital recently to have an evaluation on the problem area and according to Wenger, things are progressing well for the former Manchester united man who could return in January.

"The good news is that they had to go in and check how [his knee] is healing, and if the inflammation is healing," Wenger said according to arsenal.com.

"It is healing even better than expected so we think he will be back in the New Year.

"It could've been April, so we gained two or three months on the last medical check.

"It gives him a lift because it motivates him to accelerate the process a little bit because when you don't know what is going on inside the knee, you are a bit uncertain.

"Now he knows, he can go and work hard, so that is very good news."