Arsene Wenger surprised by Francis Coquelin's emergence as an Arsenal regular

Arsene Wenger admitted he was as surprised as anyone by the emergence and importance of Francis Coquelin to Arsenal's season.

Wenger was ready to let his French compatriot to leave the club before recalling the 23-year-old from a loan spell at Charlton.

Coquelin has featured 15 times for the Gunners since his recall after Aaron Ramsey suffered a hamstring injury with his impressive form helping the former France 21 hold down a place in Wenger's midfield.

He is a winner and he wants to win, that's why he is so committed

He also signed a new contract at the Emirates Stadium and is in contention to face Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Wednesday night despite suffering a fractured nose in Sunday's win over Everton.

"It is a surprise to everybody," Wenger said on Coquelin's reintroduction to his first-team plans.

"The only thing I do is that I never say never to anybody. In my job you have to be open-minded like that. You have to make decisions at times but never close the door completely for anybody.

"He knows it's an opportunity for him. Sometimes when you wait for such a long time to get your chance and you get it, the more you have suffered before. The human being is a strange animal.

"Now that he has a chance he doesn't want to let it slip away. But he is a winner and he wants to win, that's why he is so committed."

Wenger admitted Coquelin was not in his plans at the start of the season, with the loan move to Charlton proof of that, and said he planned to meet the player to discuss his future over the Christmas period.

When asked if Coquelin was in the first-team picture, Wenger said: "No he was not. I told him at the start of the season to give absolutely everything until Christmas. Then we will see together and see where you are. If you respect that you have done a big part of your job.

"He wasn't happy when I called him back. He played at Charlton and he thought I just called him back as cover.

"If he didn't play at Christmas at all, and there's only six months contract to go, I (would have) let him go somewhere else. For him to get an extension of the contract you let the boy go, you don't leave him completely out of the squad for six more months."

Wenger has come under scrutiny for not signing a defensive midfielder in the previous two transfer windows but plans on waiting to see how the season unfolds with Coquelin in that position.

"I don't know yet. I will wait until the end of the season to see how well things go and where we are," he said about recruiting another player in Coquelin's role.

"I think he analysed well what he is good at. Defending in midfield. He restricted his game to that and you make success in life with what you're good at. You don't have all the qualities but you have to express what you're good at and he's good at that."