Emery unsure when Ozil and Kolasinac will return for Arsenal

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery does not know whether Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac will be available for next weekend’s Premier League game at home to Burnley.

Ozil and Kolasinac missed their side’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United on the opening weekend of the season due to security concerns.

Their absence came after the duo were the victims of what appeared to be an attempted carjacking last month.

Footage of the incident showed Kolasinac confronting and scaring off two masked attackers who approached a vehicle driven by Ozil.

During a news conference that followed Sunday’s game at St James’ Park, where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal, Emery was asked whether he had spoken to the pair.

“The club is managing that circumstance,” he said. “We want to be with them as soon as possible, with normality in training and normality to be ready to play.”

Asked whether either Ozil or Kolasinac might be in a position to face Burnley, Emery replied: “I don’t know now.”

A club statement released by Arsenal on Friday said the welfare of the club’s players and their families “is always a top priority”.

Arsenal said the decision to leave Ozil and Kolasinac out of the travelling squad followed discussions with both men and their representatives.