Mikel Arteta reveals promising Martin Odegaard injury update
- Mikel Arteta gives latest update on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard
- Midfielder has been out with ankle injury since September
- Gunners remain unbeaten this season
Mikel Arteta has hinted Arsenal club captain Martin Odegaard is close to returning from the ankle injury which has kept him sidelined since September.
The creative midfielder has been missing since suffering the fitness blow on international duty with Norway last month, though the Gunners remain unbeaten in his absence and have won their last four games in a row.
Norway manager Stale Solbakken had given a cautionary update in the most recent national team break as reports of a setback fuelled fear in the Arsenal fanbase, but those rumours were quickly dispelled with a November comeback still being targeted.
The Premier League title hopefuls visit Bournemouth on Saturday night and, while he ruled his captain out of contention this weekend, Arteta suggested Odegaard is nearing the end of his rehabilitation phase.
Speaking in his press conference on Friday morning, the Spaniard said: "He's not gonna be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. He needs to clear some markers doing things with the ball in that latter stage of rehab. Next week will be crucial."
Arsenal have four more games to play before the end of October, with Premier League clashes against Bournemouth and Liverpool coupled with a Champions League tie against Shakhtar Donetsk and a Carabao Cup trip to Preston North End.
The Gunners then face Newcastle United, Inter and Chelsea at the start of November and Odegaard's potential availability for any or all of those games would be a massive boost for Arteta, who also gave an update on Bukayo Saka.
The winger had to withdraw from the England squad after being substituted during the defeat to Greece but could still be involved prominently in Saturday's game after Arteta revealed he had avoided any serious damage.
He added: "It's not a serious injury. He's evolving well. He was probably good enough to play with the national team second game. We have some big tests today so we are hopeful."
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