Arsenal star Martin Odegaard has been sidelined with a nasty ankle injury.
Mikel Arteta has had to deal with quite a few injury issues already this season. Despite that, Arsenal are in a very respectable position – just a point off the top of the Premier League table.
However, the Gunners will want to get their injured players back fit as soon as possible, and Odegaard is arguably the most important of all.
Ben Jacobs has now shared an update on Odegaard’s injury, and when Arsenal are hoping he will be fit.
Martin Odegaard injury update and when he could return for Arsenal
Arsenal were dealt a huge blow in September’s international break after it was confirmed that Odegaard had suffered a serious ankle injury.
The Gunners skipper started for Norway against Austria, and he appeared to twist his ankle in the second half of that game.
Odegaard was in a lot of pain, and Arsenal fans feared the worst. Scans confirmed that he has suffered ligament damage and he has been out of action since.
The initial hope was that Odegaard would be back in action right after October’s international break, but Jacobs has claimed on GiveMeSport that it will not happen.
The earliest Arsenal are hoping that Odegaard will return is for the Liverpool game at the end of October. They really want him back for that clash, but if he isn’t fully fit even then, no risks will be taken.
Jacobs said: “Martin Odegaard remains weeks away from being physically fit. And then, of course, you’ve got to get him match fit in addition to that.
“So, I’m told at this stage that there’s no rush to get Odegaard back, despite his clear importance to Arsenal, but they want him involved and fit and influencing the Liverpool game in the Premier League, as opposed to Shakhtar in the Champions League, and that comes at the end of October.
“So, that’s what the player and club are looking towards to try and get him sharp 100 per cent and ready for that Liverpool game, which still gives him the best part of four weeks.
“But if he needs longer, no undue risk will be taken.”
The games Odegaard will miss if he’s ruled out for Liverpool clash
Odegaard is one of Arsenal’s most important players, and even though the Gunners remain unbeaten without him, they have missed their skipper’s creativity.
The Norwegian has already missed the Premier League games against Tottenham, Manchester City, Leicester and Southampton, while he was unavailable for the two Champions League clashes against Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain as well.
As things stand, if Odegaard is ruled out for the remainder of October, he will miss Arsenal’s games against Bournemouth, Shakhtar Donetsk, Liverpool and even Preston in the EFL Cup.
That’s not ideal, but if Arsenal can have him back at that point, it would be a huge boost as their first three games in November are against Newcastle United, Inter Milan and Chelsea – all away from home.
If Odegaard is back fit and available for those three fixtures, it could make a huge difference.
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