BREAKING: THEEE Arsenal’s major starters including the only player who’s Gaurdiorla’s nightmare are not in contention to face Man City today as leaked information surface online
Arsenal star Martin Odegaard has been ruled out for at least a month with ankle ligament damage, although the midfielder could yet be called up by Norway for international duty in October, respected journalist Ben Jacobs has told GIVEMESPORT.
The playmaker was forced onto the sidelines thanks to sustaining the problem during a game against Austria in the Nations League earlier this month, when colliding with Christoph Baumgartner, and was subsequently taken off the pitch. The setback, initially described as ‘worrying’, was diagnosed as ligament damage and he was thus given a return date that could extend ‘beyond four weeks’.
The Gunners managed to get past Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday without their skipper, but produced a bleak display in a stalemate in Bergamo against Atalanta on Thursday, and will be without their creative hub for the trip to Manchester City this weekend.
However, Jacobs has revealed that Norway could still select Odegaard for the next international break in October, which may mean the initial verdict of sidelined time is not as detrimental as it had appeared.
Jacobs: Odegaard Could Play for Norway in October
Gunners won’t want their captain to go away with his national team.
Since arriving from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 for £34 million, Odegaard has risen to prominence in the Premier League and at Arsenal. Appointed captain of the north London side at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, the Norwegian started 35 league games last season, scoring eight goals and providing ten assists for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Odegaard’s importance to Arsenal is abundantly clear, meaning news that he could return to action as soon as midway through October will be a relief to the Spanish tactician. However, his comeback potentially being in a Norway shirt – rather than in the Gunners’ red strip, will be a concern.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs provided an update on the situation:
“Martin Odegaard has ankle ligament damage, and scans showed the injury sustained with Norway to be worse than first feared. It looks likely he’ll miss at least a month, and that’s perhaps an optimistic timeline.
“The picture should be clearer by October’s international break. Norway haven’t totally ruled out calling him up, but Arsenal likely won’t want him going on international duty again even if he does make a speedy recovery.”
