BREAKING : Arsenal key player set for shock return from injury earlier than expected…

Arsenal key player expected to return from injury earlier than originally thought.

Arsenal anticipates an early return for Martin Odegaard ahead of next week’s crucial Champions League match against Inter Milan.

Manager Mikel Arteta may receive a significant boost with the potential return of Odegaard for the Gunners’ upcoming match against Newcastle United on Saturday.

Arsenal exclusive: Martin Odegaard aims for a comeback in the Inter Milan fixture

The Gunners’ captain is making notable progress in his recovery from an ankle injury and is nearing a return.

Odegaard is showing positive signs in his rehabilitation from the ankle injury sustained last month, and there is a slim possibility he could be included in the squad for Saturday’s match against Newcastle.

The Gunners fell behind defending champions Manchester City last weekend after a 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

During that match, Arsenal lost center-back Gabriel, and Jurrien Timber also had to leave the field due to injury.

This has contributed to an increasing injury list, which already included captain Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian has been sidelined since September due to ankle ligament damage incurred while on international duty.

Initially, it was believed that Odegaard would be out for approximately eight weeks.

However, the Evening Standard reports that he has a chance of making a return for Saturday’s encounter with Eddie Howe’s team.

Despite this optimism, Arsenal is cautious about rushing their captain back, particularly with significant away matches against Inter and Chelsea on the horizon.

Odegaard is eager to return, and Mikel Arteta confirmed on Monday that the Norwegian has been training on the pitch for several weeks.

If Odegaard is unable to participate in the Newcastle match, he will likely be preserved for the Champions League clash against Inter Milan at the Emirates next week.

The return of the captain will significantly benefit Arteta.

The midfielder is currently in the final phase of his recovery, and his performance during this stage will dictate his exact return timeline.

Odegaard’s presence will greatly enhance Arsenal, who have faced challenges in creativity during his absence.

The 25-year-old sustained ankle ligament damage while representing Norway earlier this month, resulting in him missing 11 matches, including key fixtures against Manchester City and Tottenham.

Having Odegaard available for Wednesday’s match against Inter would be a timely advantage, especially considering it is the most challenging of Arsenal’s eight Champions League group stage encounters.

Arteta has previously conveyed hope that Odegaard would return to action before the upcoming international break.

“Hopefully yes, but we’ll have to see how he goes,” Arteta stated on Monday.

Last week, Odegaard mentioned that he was “close” to making a comeback while updating fans on his recovery.

The Gunners have experienced a dip in form recently, following a loss to Bournemouth and a draw with Liverpool.

Both Gabriel and Timber are anticipated to be fit for the upcoming trip to the north-east.

Arteta noted that Gabriel’s knee injury is ‘not serious,’ while Timber was substituted due to fatigue.