The exact timeframe for Martin Odegaard’s injury absence remains unclear, but the hope is that he’ll be available to return after the November international break.
Charles Watts report on his YouTube channel that it’s still not clear exactly how long Martin Odegaard will be out, but the midfielder won’t return until after the November international break, and the hope is that he’ll be available to face Spurs on November 23rd.
Whether that’s a genuine possibility will depend on how the next couple of weeks go, and how Odegaard’s body responds to rehab.
Arsenal will certainly be keen to have the Norway international back for that game though, particularly given it’s followed by a home game against Bayern Munich on November 26th and an away game against Chelsea on November 30th.
Earlier this week, Odegaard gave an update on his injury in his Arsenal programme notes saying: “It was a knee-to-knee contact in the West Ham game, and at the time I didn’t know if it was bad or not because they can be quite painful, but normally you can run it off.
“It’s tricky to set a return date with this type of injury because, especially it being my left leg, a lot depends on how it goes when I start getting back on the pitch.
“Sometimes it can be quite sore when you start passing the ball and shooting and all these things with that leg, so it’s really hard to say a date. All I can say is I’m progressing really well at the moment.”
When Odegaard has been available this season, he’s often looked like one of the best players on the pitch. Days before his injury against West Ham, the 26-year-old was the star of the show in the Champions League win over Olympiacos.
Yet Odegaard’s appearances have often been cut short, with three of his four Premier League starts ending in a substitution before half-time.
The Arsenal captain has only completed two matches this season, and it will be at least another few weeks before he has the chance to return to the lineup.