Arsenal have been dealt a major setback as captain Martin Odegaard is expected to be sidelined for up to nine matches following a knee injury sustained earlier this month.
The Norwegian playmaker suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury during the Gunners’ 2-0 victory over West Ham on October 4, forcing him off midway through the first half. The following day, Arsenal released a brief statement confirming that Odegaard would miss the current international window, though they initially stopped short of providing a return date.
Speaking to the media after the game, Arteta said: “I just spoke to him. He’s not positive about it. He’s got a brace on. We’ll have to wait and see from the doctors, but we haven’t been very lucky with that either.
We haven’t had him since the start of the season for one reason or the other. The shoulder twice and then this injury.
We’ll have to wait and see the extent of that injury, and we’ll find solutions, but obviously he’s our captain and is a player that gives us a completely different dimension with the things that he can do, especially in attacking.”
Now, it appears the 26-year-old will not return until after the November international break, meaning he will be unavailable for a crucial stretch of fixtures.
That timeline rules Odegaard out of Premier League matches against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Sunderland, as well as Champions League clashes with Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague. The absence of their captain and creative heartbeat will come as a bitter blow to manager Mikel Arteta, who heavily relies on Odegaard’s leadership and vision in midfield.
The start of Odegaard’s season has been marred by fitness struggles, with the midfielder forced off in the first half of three consecutive Premier League games. His recurring injuries have raised concerns about his workload and long-term durability in Arsenal’s packed schedule.
Arsenal fans will be anxiously watching his recovery progress ahead of a high-stakes fixture, the North London Derby against Tottenham on November 23, which comes immediately after the international break. Whether Odegaard can return in time for that clash remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, on the international stage, Norway boosted their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 5-0 win over Israel on Saturday. Should they secure qualification, it would mark Norway’s first appearance at a major international tournament since 2000, a milestone Odegaard will no doubt be desperate to be fit for.
For now, though, Arsenal must learn to cope without their captain, and hope that his absence doesn’t derail their early-season momentum.
