Martin Odegaard looks likely to miss Arsenal’s upcoming matches against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City after the Norwegian national team doctor suggested the midfielder could be out for “at least three weeks”.
Odegaard is due to have further tests at Arsenal on Wednesday after he rolled his ankle in Monday’s international match against Austria. Odegaard was visibly distraught after the incident and was in significant pain after the match.
The injury to arguably their best player comes at a terrible time for Arsenal, who have matches away to Spurs, Atalanta (in the Champions League) and Man City next week.
The more encouraging news, according to national team doctor Ola Sand, is that Odegaard has “probably” not suffered an ankle fracture. A fracture would have ruled the 25-year-old out of action for at least six weeks.
Speaking to Norwegian outlet VG, Sand said: “Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks. Anything other than that is just a bonus. And then it can take longer.
‘There is probably no fracture’
“Ankle injuries are very painful right away. With Martin, it was extremely painful. He became very worried.
“What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle.”
Sand added that Norway have not ruled out the possibility of Odegaard being available for the next set of international fixtures, which are taking place in a month.
“We have to wait and see both what the MRI images show and how quickly he responds to treatment,” said Sand.
Odegaard was seen boarding a private jet on Tuesday to return to London on crutches and without a shoe on his affected left foot in an apparent effort to manage any swelling.
Timing could hardly be worse
These are unfortunate times to be an Arsenal midfielder. Firstly, new signing Mikel Merino suffered a serious shoulder injury in his first training session after joining the club for around £30 million.
Secondly, Declan Rice was shown a bizarre red card in Arsenal’s last match, against Brighton, which means he is suspended for Sunday’s north London derby.
And then thirdly, Martin Odegaard went down on Monday night with an ankle problem that seems almost certain to rule him out of action for a few weeks, at least.
Merino, Rice, Odegaard. This could easily have been Arsenal’s first-choice midfield for the trip to face Spurs on Sunday. Instead, Mikel Arteta will have to totally reconfigure the central part of his team.
The timing of Odegaard’s injury is nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal. In the next week they face Spurs away, Atalanta away and Man City away. It is only September but this already has the feel of a potentially defining set of fixtures for Arteta’s side.
Defeats by Spurs and City could leave Arsenal eight points off the top of the Premier League table. Against a team of City’s historic might and consistency, that would feel like an enormous gap.
The absence of Odegaard does not make it impossible for Arsenal to secure results at Spurs and City. It does make it significantly more difficult, though. Odegaard is not only Arsenal’s chief creative force, but also the player who leads their defensive efforts through his tireless pressing. He will be badly missed.