Odegaard in contention for Inter clash, says Arsenal’s Arteta

Martin Odegaard could play a part in Arsenal’s Champions League clash at Inter after recovering from an ankle injury, coach Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday.

Arsenal skipper Odegaard has missed his team’s last 12 matches after picking up the injury on international duty with Norway, but he trained and travelled to Milan with the squad for Wednesday’s match at the San Siro.

Odegaard’s return comes at a great time for Arteta as his team trail Premier League leaders Liverpool by seven points after two defeats and one draw in their last three fixtures in England’s top flight.

“Great to have him back. Obviously, he’s trained with us for the first time. A full session today, he felt good,” Arteta told reporters. 

“He’s a bit earlier than we expected but he wanted to be with the team so we’ll decide tomorrow whether to use him or not, but at least it’s a big step that he’s travelled with us and is part of the team.”

Declan Rice didn’t travel to northern Italy as a precautionary measure ahead of Arsenal’s London derby with Chelsea on Sunday, just before Inter face a test of their own against Serie A leaders Napoli.

Arteta said that Rice picked up a foot injury during Arsenal’s defeat at Newcastle and that “he wasn’t comfortable to put his boots on”.

Arsenal sit ninth in the Champions League’s new single standings, level on seven points with Inter and five other teams but just outside automatic qualification for the last 16.

Inter have won seven times in an eight-match unbeaten run and Wednesday’s game is between two teams with ambitions to go deep in the tournament.

“My blood is pumping. This is the kind of game that we want to play, to come to Milan, to play Inter that two years ago they were the final in the Champions League,” added Arteta.

“They won the Scudetto last year and to come here and show the team that we are in right now and the ambition that we have. These are the games that we want to play, that’s for sure.”