Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is not expected to play again until after the international break in November because of a knee injury.
The midfielder hurt the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over West Ham on 4 October. He had to come off in the first half of the match.
Arsenal said the next day that he would miss the current international games, but they didn’t give a clear date for when he would return. Now, it looks like he won’t be back until after the international matches in mid-November.
Matches He Will Miss
Because of the injury, Odegaard will miss:
Premier League games against: Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Sunderland
Champions League matches against: Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague
This is bad news for manager Mikel Arteta, as Odegaard is a key player for the team.
Odegaard has struggled with injuries this season and has had to come off early in three league games in a row.
Arsenal will play Tottenham in the north London derby on 23 November, just after the international break. It’s not yet clear if Odegaard will be fit in time for that important match.
Norway’s World Cup Hopes
Odegaard’s national team, Norway, had a great 5-0 win over Israel on Saturday, helping their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. If they make it, it will be their first major tournament since 2000.