Inter deadline, Chelsea wait, Arteta worry - Martin Odegaard Arsenal injury return verdict

Martin Odegaard could make his long-awaited return from injury against Inter in the Champions League after being spotted back in team training. The attacking midfielder picked up an ankle injury representing Norway nearly two months ago which has seen him miss 12 games in all competitions.

Though he was explicitly ruled out of facing Newcastle this weekend, Arteta offered a positive update on his chances of featuring against Inter. "Now is the stage he is going to start doing certain work with us and just see how he deals with pain, if he is moving naturally enough and if he is physically at the level required to compete," he said.

"But with the work rate and the hours he has put in I would be surprised if the moment he starts training with us we don’t say he is ready so hopefully soon." His potential return has arrived directly before another international break, though he will be missing from Norway's upcoming fixtures after being left out of the squad.

As for Arteta, the Arsenal boss now faces a number of big decisions with his first to arrive on Wednesday evening when naming his starting XI. Beyond that, Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge for a huge clash against Chelsea with Arteta likely keen for him to feature prominently.

With that being said, football.london writers have taken a look at how Arteta should handle Odegaard's return to action.

Kieran Horn

What a huge boost Odegaard's return will be for Arteta and it has arrived at the absolute perfect time for Arsenal. The lack of a creative talisman was hugely noticeable against Newcastle and the last six weeks have proven exactly who the Gunners' most important player is.

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Assuming he gets through Monday's training session, a spot in the travelling squad is a guarantee but exactly how many minutes he will play is unclear, though they will likely arrive from the bench. Arteta will be hoping he does not feel the need to introduce him though.

I think, regardless of the game state, Odegaard should play a maximum of 20 minutes with one eye firmly on Chelsea. If he can also get through a cameo unscathed, a return to the starting XI to face Chelsea will be crucial to Arsenal taking any points off their London rivals.

With Odegaard not to be involved for Norway, Arteta can take that slight risk knowing he will then have two weeks at London Colney.

Tom Coley

If Arsenal were playing a bit better right now then the decision would be easy; rest Odegaard and let him have all the time off that is needed. However, the current run of form and importance of playing Chelsea means Arteta really does have to weigh this up.

Odegaard is so crucial, even when not in full flow, that he can, has, and will win games on his own. If Arsenal were to fall to another disappointing result on Sunday then his return might already start to look a little too late, the gap too big.

That is the dilemma at hand, here. For Wednesday against Inter, it shouldn't even be a question. Odegaard doesn't need to play. Keep him wrapped up. Maybe name him on the bench for an optical boost, but nothing more.

What Arteta might be thinking, though, is if Odegaard has been working on the training pitches for a while longer than has been clear publicly, then he could be ahead of the curve. It was seen with Reece James for Chelsea. He went from no games in five months to three starts in a row and consecutive 90 minutes in the league.

The difference is that James is certainly only playing once a week. Odegaard will be needed in all competitions. For that reason, keep him in the back pocket and up the sleeve this week. Don't risk a setback at this stage.

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Amie Wilson

The return of Odegaard will be a huge boost to Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, and at a time that they need it. However, I don’t think the dip in form should mean that the captain is rushed back.

If they try and push him too much, they could risk a recurrence of the injury or another injury, and therefore face longer without the influential midfielder. Presuming he gets through training on Monday, then I do think he should be part of the travelling squad to face Inter, but should be on the bench at most.

If Arsenal can get through the game without having to turn to the captain then that will be good news. It will give Odeagaard more training days to get back to speed.

I think his return, in an ideal world, should come off the bench for the final 15 or 20 minutes of the game against Chelsea on Sunday. His absence from the Norway squad then gives him the international break to get fully up to speed.

The Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest at home after the two-week break, should be the one where Arsenal target him starting and hopefully playing the majority of the match.

Lee Wilmot

Martin Odegaard is only just back in full first team training, it would seem foolish to risk him for a Champions League game on Wednesday.

Yes, it's a difficult game against a top side and Arsenal would like to name their strongest team, but they are already in a strong position in the Champions League, with seven points from three games, and even defeat to Inter should not hurt their chances too much.

With matches against Sporting CP, Monaco, Dinamo Zagreb and Girona to come, Arsenal can get the requisite number of points required to qualify for the last 16 further down the line.

Odegaard should not be risked so soon after coming back from injury, for fear of making things worse. there's a huge London derby with Chelsea on the horizon before another international break. You'd think Mikel Arteta would be reluctant to throw him into back-to-back games straight after an injury and the more important game, surely, is Sunday.

Sam Truelove

Martin Odegaard is an incredibly important player for Arsenal. His return comes at a decent time as the Gunners have matches against Inter and Chelsea this week before the November international break arrives.

The fact Odegaard has not been called up by Norway for this month's fixtures against Slovenia and Kazakhstan is a huge blessing. Because of this, I can see Odegaard getting minutes against Inter on Wednesday evening.

It may be too much of a risk to start the 25-year-old, but an appearance off the bench sounds sensible. If Odegaard manages to get through the San Siro clash unscathed, then a start against Chelsea on Sunday seems a certainty.

Enzo Maresca's side will be a big test for the Gunners and the clash at Stamford Bridge is a must win for Arsenal, given they are already seven points behind league leaders Liverpool. If Odegaard is fit, he must play.