Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a major injury update on club captain Martin Odegaard ahead of their clash with Tottenham on Sunday.
The Gunners welcome their fierce to the Emirates Stadium for the 198th edition of the North London derby, but Arteta faces perhaps his most challenging selection dilemma of the season after news that Gabriel Maglhaes could be out for at least a month with a thigh injury.
The Premier League leaders enter this weekend’s face-off sitting four points clear at the summit, maintaining their position despite a recent 2-2 draw at Sunderland that ended their remarkable 10-match winning streak across all competitions.
That minor setback pales in comparison to losing Gabriel, who’s been both the cornerstone of their water-tight backline and a major threat from set pieces all season.
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Initial medical assessments suggest the Brazilian centre-back could miss anywhere from one to two months of action, potentially sidelining him until mid-January.
Gabriel’s absence creates a massive void at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, with the 27-year-old having been instrumental in the north Londoners conceding just five goals across their opening eleven league matches.
Arteta breathed a sigh of relief when Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori is able to play against Tottenham after his own injury scare, but the Spaniard will still be forced to deploy an unfamiliar centre-back pairing of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie alongside William Saliba.
Arsenal’s attacking contingent also faces uncertainty heading into the derby.
Viktor Gyökeres remains doubtful with a hamstring problem he sustained against Burnley, whilst there’s ambiguity surrounding Gabriel Martinelli’s fitness after missing recent games with a muscle issue.
Kai Havertz’s situation looks particularly concerning after Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the midfielder suffered a minor relapse in his recovery from a knee injury, potentially delaying his return until nearer the end of 2025.
Noni Madueke appears most likely to return from the injured quintet, reportedly having come close to making the squad for Sunderland before medical staff opted for caution.
Odegaard’s fitness adds yet another layer of intrigue.
Norway manager Stale Solbakken suggested the midfielder remains “some distance away” from returning, yet Odegaard himself offered more optimism — stating his injury is “starting to look better.”
Of course, neither of these statements offer clarity about his Spurs involvement, but insider HandOfArsenal has some very good news on that front.
Martin Odegaard in contention to play Tottenham after Arsenal update
According to the reliable Emirates Stadium source, there is a ‘possibility’ that Odegaard will be available to play against Tottenham this Sunday — giving Arteta some real encouragement that he could be about to welcome his chief creator back into the fold.
Odegaard’s return would alleviate the creative burden currently shouldered by Bukayo Saka.
As so many attackers deal with fitness issues, Saka has been forced to carry much of Arsenal’s responsibility going forward, so the boost of Odegaard’s potential presence cannot be overstated following what has been a stop-start, injury-ridden 2025 for the player.
The psychological boost of having their captain available once again could undoubtedly be huge as well.
In a match where Arsenal will field an unfamiliar defensive partnership and potentially be without several key attackers, Odegaard’s return would provide some much-needed stability.
The 26-year-old hasn’t played since coming off against West Ham in October, having only just returned from a shoulder problem, so he’ll be dying to take to the field once more in one of Arsenal’s biggest games of the season.