Mikel Arteta is hopeful Martin Ødegaard could play a part in Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with the Norwegian back in training alongside long-term absentee Gabriel Jesus.
Ødegaard has missed a considerable amount of time this season with shoulder and knee injuries. The Gunners’ captain has played in just seven of Arsenal’s 18 matches in all competitions, while Jesus is seemingly close to returning as well after suffering an ACL tear in January.
“We’re going to have a meeting now to decide on Martin,” Arteta told reporters on Tuesday. “He was very close for the previous game, so we are hopeful that tomorrow he can be in the squad as well.”
Eberechi Eze has filled in for Ødegaard during his time on the sidelines and scored a hat-trick in the thumping 4–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Sunday—his form meaning it’s no certainty the 26-year-old will walk straight back into the team.
As for Jesus, Arteta is understandably applying caution with the Brazilian and won’t rush him back into action until he’s ready.
“[Jesus is] quite close to be fair, and it’s earlier than we expected,” Arteta said, before adding “... in the next few days he’s going to have another step to make, with a game that we’re going to organise for him, and after that he’s just going to be knocking on the door, because he’s Gabriel, a winner, that’s how it’s happened.”
Arteta: Havertz, Gyökeres Progressing Toward Return
Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyökeres are also close to returning. The Arsenal manager said both are “really good” and pushing to be involved against Chelsea on Sunday.
Havertz has not featured since their Premier League opener against Manchester United on Aug. 17 with a knee injury. Gyökeres came off early against Burnley prior to the November break with a muscle injury.
Arteta has used makeshift forward Mikel Merino up top in the wake of attacking absences. While the Spaniard has a knack for being among the goals—assisting Leandro Trossard’s opener on Sunday—getting potentially three strikers back refuels an Arsenal side set to play 10 games in a 34-day span.
Arsenal welcomed back both Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli against Spurs, and Riccardo Calafiori was also a doubt heading into the north London derby before playing the full 90 minutes.
Both Madueke and Martinelli are set to be involved against Bayern Munich, though Arteta has often rotated in defence with Myles Lewis-Skelly possibly starting Wednesday ahead of Calafiori.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Receive Quadruple Injury Boost Ahead of Huge Champions League Bout.
