Arsenal have been handed an injury boost after Norway boss Stale Solbakken suggested that he expects Martin Odegaard to be available for the November international break.
The midfielder has been absent since suffering an ankle injury while playing for Norway in September, though is moving closer to a return to fitness.
Mikel Arteta’s side have missed their captain, with their Premier League title hopes dented by defeat at Bournemouth last weekend, and the Norwegian also seems set to miss Sunday’s crucial encounter with Liverpool.
But Arteta has indicated that he may have the 25-year-old back available before the next round of international action in the middle of next month, and Solbakken has given an encouraging update on his progress.
“Everything indicates that things are going according to plan,” the Norway manager told VG when asked if Odegaard would be ready to play for his country next month.
“So it’s about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training. It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”
Norway face Slovenia and Kazakhstan in the Nations League in November having been thrashed by Austria in their last outing.
Arsenal face three tricky tests in the week beforehand, with a visit to Milan to face Inter between league trips to Newcastle and Chelsea.