Following their Champions League clash with PSG, Arsenal are now building towards Saturday’s visit of Southampton.
The Gunners have a prime chance to leap to the top of the Premier League against the strugglers, if rivals Liverpool and Manchester City slip up. But boss Mikel Arteta will again have to make do without his captain.
Martin Odegaard has been sidelined since the September international break and looks set for an extended wait before he returns to action. Elsewhere, the Gunners have also become involved in a transfer battle with Real Madrid.
And Arteta has been tipped as the leading man to replace Pep Guardiola when he brings an end to his reign at City. Here, Mirror Football rounds up all the latest Arsenal news.
Odegaard update issued
Arsenal will be forced to wait longer than expected for captain Martin Odegaard to return to action. Odegaard has been sidelined since the September international break when he suffered an ankle injury in Norway’s win over Austria.
While Mikel Arteta hinted he may return within weeks, Norway boss Stale Solbakken has left him out of the squad for the October international break. And he has also revealed the midfielder is “a long way” from being considered for selection.
He said: “We played the last 35 minutes against Austria without Martin and won that part of the match 1-0, so it’s not like we don’t think we can do it without him. But Martin is very important to the group and he has been among the best in every match in recent years.”
Arteta tipped as Guardiola successor
Mikel Arteta has been tipped as the natural replacement for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Arsenal icon Emmanuel Petit believes City could soon come calling for the Spaniard with Guardiola ‘running out of energy’.
“If Guardiola does decide to leave, the best possible replacement would be Mikel Arteta. He knows the club, and he knows the philosophy which he has tried to repeat at Arsenal,” Petit told Prime Casino.
“Guardiola has begun to show signs of tiredness in the last two years, and you can sometimes see that he is lacking energy. Things move so fast and anything can happen in football, Arteta could step into Guardiola’s shoes but City wouldn’t be the only club interested in him.”
Arsenal launch Madrid battle
Arsenal are battling Real Madrid to sign Palmeiras wonderkid Vitor Reis. The 18-year-old has impressed since making his debut in Brazil’s Serie A earlier this season, earning 11 appearances in the top-flight.
His performances saw him handed a new contract in the summer, tying him to Palmeiras until December 2028. But now, both Arsenal and Madrid sides have made initial enquiries with Palmeiras and Reis’ representatives over a potential move.
While a formal approach has not been made, Palmeiras have made it clear they are keen to keep the defender until after the 2025 Club World Cup. There is an £83m release clause in the contract he recently signed though so a deal could be completed sooner.
