Martin Odegaard return hint dropped amid Real Madrid transfer battle

Arsenal are gearing up for Saturday's clash against Southampton as the fallout from their Champions League game against PSG continues following Tuesday night's match

After clashing with PSG in the Champions League, Arsenal's focus shifts to Saturday's encounter with Southampton at home.

The Gunners could climb to the Premier League summit should Liverpool and Manchester City falter this weekend, yet Mikel Arteta's side will be without their skipper once again.

Martin Odegaard remains out of contention due to an ankle injury sustained over the September international break.

Meanwhile, Arsenal has been drawn into a transfer tug-of-war with Real Madrid. Additionally, speculation is heating up that Arteta could be in line to succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Mirror Football brings you the latest updates from the Emirates.

Odegaard update issued

Arteta must continue to manage without his captain Martin Odegaard, whose comeback has been delayed further. Odegaard's last appearance was before the international break in September when he injured his ankle during Norway's victory over Austria, reports the Mirror.

While early hints from Arteta suggested a quick return for Odegaard, Norway's manager Stale Solbakken has excluded him from the squad for the upcoming October international fixtures. Solbakken also indicated that Odegaard is "a long way" off from being ready to play.

Solbakken 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 is considered a likely candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. According to Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit, the Spaniard could be the top choice for City once Guardiola steps down.

"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," said Petit during an interview with Prime Casino.

Petit also noted that Guardiola has shown signs of fatigue: "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."

For more on Petit's observations, read his full thoughts.

Arsenal launch Madrid battle

Arsenal are reportedly vying with Real Madrid for the signature of Vitor Reis, the promising 18 year old from Palmeiras.

Following impressive outings in Brazil's Serie A where he notched up 11 appearances this season, Reis was rewarded with a new contract extending his stay at Palmeiras until December 2028. Now both Arsenal and Madrid have reportedly made preliminary advances to discuss the talented youngster's future.

Although no official bid has been placed, Palmeiras have expressed their desire to retain the defender until after the 2025 Club World Cup. However, with an £83m release clause in his recently signed contract, a transfer could potentially be finalised earlier.