Mikel Arteta has provided clarity on Martin Odegaard’s return to fitness, saying he is confident the Arsenal captain will be available for selection before the next international break.
The midfielder has missed seven games since picking up an ankle injury against Austria for Norway in the September international break. Bournemouth away on October 19 will come too early, but the 25-year-old is not far from a return.
“He’s not going to be fit for this game,” Arteta said. “Next week will be a different story. In that later stage of rehab, where he is at the moment because he’s doing a lot of stuff already, he needs to clear some markers.
“There are certain things he needs to be comfortable with doing, especially with the ball. Next week will be crucial to understanding how close he is.”
Pushed on whether Odegaard would be back before the November break, Arteta added: “Yes, hopefully yes.”
Arsenal play seven games in that time, with home matches against Shakhtar Donetsk and Liverpool coming after this weekend’s trip to Bournemouth. Preston North End away then comes next week before three more away matches against Newcastle United, Inter Milan and Chelsea.
In the short-term, Arteta also provided positive updates on Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Kai Havertz (knee) and Thomas Partey, who did not play for Ghana in this month’s internationals.
“It’s not a serious injury (for Saka),” the Arsenal manager said. “He’s evolving really well. He’s done a few things in the last few days when he came back from the national team after the second game. We are hopeful. We have a training session this afternoon and he did some bits yesterday, so let’s see if he can make it on time.
“He (Havertz) had a few issues and we’ve been dealing with that. He’s been absolutely brilliant. He has very good communication with the national team and the manager. They understood the situation. We have modified everything that we could do here and if he trains well today he has a good chance to be fit and available.
“Thomas is fit.”
There remains doubt over Gabriel Martinelli, who missed Brazil’s second international match with a calf injury. On the 23-year-old, Arteta said: “Gabi landed yesterday afternoon (Thursday, October 18), so we’ve had a very short time to be with him.
“Yesterday he went outside to do a little bit and see how he’s feeling. Today will be another step to understand whether we want to take the risk if he’s fit. I know what the player is going to say ‘I’m going to be fit’.”
None of Ben White, Jurrien Timber or Oleksandr Zinchenko were in the matchday squad against Southampton at the start of the month. On their progress, Arteta added: “The three of them are quite close.
“Today we will have to push and see who is because we are stronger with the numbers, especially on our right side. Hopefully, we have some positive news today and we’ll have some players back tomorrow.”
That right side will somewhat be weakened after Takehiro Tomiyasu suffered a setback after recovering from a knee injury.
The Japan international made his first appearance of the season as an 84th-minute substitute against Southampton, but Arteta has said: “It doesn’t look like a long period but we have to see when he comes back, how he reacts to the load and the impact on the pitch too.
“We really need him. He’s been incredible – his work-rate, the amount of hours he’s put in to get back, he did it. He was in great shape and now he’s got something else again. But we’re all behind him. He needs our support and hopefully, he’ll be fine.”
(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
