Arsenal were awaiting an update over the fitness of captain Martin Odegaard after recent injury, but they have now been handed a huge blow.
After losing summer signing Mikel Merino to an unfortunate training injury before he could even make his debut, the last thing Arsenal needed was another midfield absentee.
However, Odegaard then played for Norway during the International break, but injured his ankle after a collision with Austria star Christoph Baumgartner, who later issued an apology to the Arsenal star.
Mikel Arteta recently stated that Odegaard needed more scans over his injury to determine the damage, and he missed the North London derby victory at Tottenham Hotspur.
Arsenal face tough trips to Atalanta and Manchester City in their next two games, but it has now been confirmed that their captain will not be joining, and Arteta’s worst fears have now come true.
Arsenal star Martin Odegaard facing ‘significant’ injury layoff
Speaking in a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Atalanta, Arteta revealed that the latest scans on Odegaard’s ankle showed damage which could keep him sidelined for a while.
“After recent scans, the scans showed that he’s got some damage, especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle. It’s something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while,” Arteta revealed.
This is a huge blow, considering Odegaard was named Arsenal’s Player of the Season in each of the last two campaigns, and Arteta has admitted that it will be tough to replace him.
“He’s our captain. He’s been one of the biggest and best players in our team. Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves,” he added.
“It’s a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face.”
Arsenal facing midfield nightmare after Martin Odegaard injury
If Odegaard is to miss a lot of action in the coming months, Arteta will have a very tough task in trying to replace him.
The Norweigan is one of Arsenal’s most crucial players, and after letting Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe leave in the summer, there are few natural replacements for him.
More opportunities for young sensation Ethan Nwaneri are certainly on the horizon, whilst Leandro Trossard or Bukayo Saka could also be trialled in a midfield role.
No matter who fills in for Odegaard, his quality and leadership will be almost impossible to replace, and Arsenal will hope they can keep pace in the title race until he returns.
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