Arsenal fans could be in for a treat as star midfielder Martin Odegaard is potentially set to make his return in the highly anticipated Champions League clash against Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The Norwegian international has been out of action since early October due to a knee injury, but recent reports suggest he is nearing full fitness and is eager to rejoin the squad.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has remained optimistic about Odegaard's recovery, stating that the midfielder was "very close" to being included in the squad for their previous match. Speaking ahead of the Bayern Munich game, Arteta said, "We are going to have a meeting to decide on Martin. He was very close for the previous game and we are hopeful". This suggests that a final decision on Odegaard's availability will be made after assessing his condition in training.

Odegaard's return would be a significant boost for Arsenal, who are currently enjoying a good run of form. His creativity and playmaking abilities in midfield have been sorely missed, and his presence would undoubtedly strengthen the team's attacking options.

However, Arsenal will be without the services of Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz for the Bayern Munich match. Gyokeres has been sidelined with a muscle issue since the beginning of November, while Havertz's absence remains undisclosed.

In other injury news, there's positive updates on Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori, who both suffered knocks against Tottenham. Both defenders trained on Tuesday. Gabriel Jesus is also making progress in his recovery from an ACL injury and participated in training with the team. Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, who recently recovered from their respective injuries, are also in contention to start against Bayern.

Arsenal enters the game against Bayern Munich on the back of a dominant 4-1 victory over their North London rivals, Tottenham. Arteta emphasized the importance of carrying that momentum into the Champions League fixture, saying, "We have to make sure that we carry that energy tomorrow again to the stadium, to each individual and play with the same dominance, aggression, and efficiency against a top side".

Arsenal and Bayern Munich are currently the top two teams in their Champions League group, both having won all four of their matches. This match is a crucial test for Arsenal to measure their progress against one of Europe's elite teams.

Arteta acknowledged the challenge posed by Bayern Munich, highlighting their consistency and impressive performances. He said, "Every opponent brings different challenges. Obviously they are in a great moment. The level of consistency they show in results, performances, in every metric that they have is very, very impressive. We know that. But as well it's a massive opportunity for us to show what we are capable of".

One of the key battles in the match will be Arsenal's defense against Bayern Munich's Harry Kane. The England captain has a prolific record against Arsenal, having scored 15 goals in 21 appearances, including one in the previous Champions League encounter between the two teams.

With Odegaard's potential return and the team's recent form, Arsenal fans have reason to be optimistic ahead of the Bayern Munich clash. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of Europe's top teams, and a victory for Arsenal would significantly boost their chances of progressing to the next stage of the Champions League.