Arsenal are currently flying high at the top of the Premier League but they still have a number of key first-team players out injured including captain Martin Odegaard
Ryan Taylor
13:25, 04 Nov 2025Updated 13:38, 04 Nov 2025
Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli
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Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are expected to return for Arsenal after the international break
Five Arsenal players are expected to return to fitness after the upcoming November international break, though medical staff will not rush any of their awaited comebacks.
The Gunners are currently in Prague as they gear up for their fourth Champions League group fixture against Slavia at the Fortuna Arena. However, striker Viktor Gyokeres and winger Gabriel Martinelli have missed out due to injury.
Gyokeres was forced off at half-time on Saturday during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor with a muscular issue.
Mikel Arteta said on Monday that the Swede was still undergoing tests but it's understood he is also likely to miss this weekend's trip to Sunderland.
Meanwhile, Martinelli is currently nursing a groin problem and he has since been left out of Brazil's squad for upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, respectively.
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More positively though, Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz are edging closer to a return.
England international winger Madueke, who made a fine start to life in north London following his summer transfer from Chelsea, picked up a knee injury in the first half of the 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
Yet there is hope he will be ready to return to training after the international break in a major boost for Arteta.
Similarly, versatile forward Havertz - absent since the opening day win at Manchester United - is also closing in on his comeback after undergoing a minor surgical procedure on his knee.
Captain Martin Odegaard is also understood to be making progress and there is a chance he could return to the squad for the North London Derby against Tottenham after the break.
Stale Solbakken
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Norway boss Stale Solbakken has left Martin Odegaard out of his Norway squad
He has been left out of the Norway national team squad to face Moldova and Italy when Stale Solbakken's side could confirm their place at next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Solbakken said on Tuesday when explaining Odegaard's absence: "He is doing well and things are going as they should. He is not here, though."
The Norway boss also indicated there was a chance the 26-year-old attacking midfielder could travel to his homeland to support the team, just as he did last month.
Arteta said on the fitness of Odegaard, Madueke and Havertz ahead of the trip to Burnley: "I would say weeks, and some of them pretty soon, hopefully. We have the international break, but after that we hope to have some of them back.
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"I'm excited because they are tremendous players. I see them work every single day, how desperate they are to be part of the team.
"The huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have and those players again, after such a long, long time, so really happy that I think it's going to be very soon."
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