£20.8m rated star could solve Arsenal's Martin Odegaard problem as transfer admission made

Martin has made a welcome return to just as the Gunners' Premier League title challenge falters.

The Gunners' captain picked up an injury during the September international break, forcing him out of action for crucial fixtures against title rivals and Liverpool among others.

But the Norwegian returned during before playing the full 90 minutes of Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Chelsea last weekend. Odegaard may not have provided a much-needed match winning moment at Stamford Bridge but his return is a welcome boost as 's side approach a crucial stage of the season.

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And one player who may be able to help the Gunners suffer less of a drop off if Odegaard get's injured again is Lyon's Rayan Cherki. The playmaker, who has been valued in the region of £20.8m (€25million) according to Get French Football, has two goals and three assists for the Ligue 1 club across all competitions so far this season.

Lyon president John Textor has recently admitted that Cherki’s future at the club is uncertain with the French side in financial difficulty. Having been linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 club in the summer, Textor believes his star player's value is now higher after impressive start to the season, despite the aforementioned financial struggles.

“We lost €15m from his sale last summer… but his value is now way higher," he said via Fabrizio Romano on . “He should stay in January but it’s up to Rayan, he decides what he wants to do”.

The 21-year-old played a starring role for France's U-21 team on Friday night with a goal and an assist helping them to a 2-2 draw against Italy U-21s. It may only have been a friendly but Cherki is an exciting talent who could provide the Gunner's with an excellent opportunity to ease their reliance on Odegaard.

The signing of Cherki as a backup would put less pressure on the youngster whilst give Arteta's team an excellent option off the bench to fill-in when their star playmaker is absent. There is a valid argument that Cherki's growth may be stunted but the number of games Arsenal play should give him plenty of chances to improve on the pitch.