Norway's head coach Stale Solbakken has provided a glimmer of hope regarding the fitness of Arsenal's captain Martin Odegaard, suggesting he might be fit before the upcoming international break.
This update follows Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's announcement that his key captain sustained ankle ligament damage after limping off during Norway's 2-1 win over Austria in Oslo. Despite the injury, Solbakken hasn't ruled out Odegaard for the October matches against Slovenia and Austria.
Speaking to NRK, he said: "We are preparing with a plan with Martin and one without."
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Arteta, on the other hand, is bracing for a spell without Odegaard, admitting he could be absent "for a while" but refrained from setting a recovery timeline. Ahead of Arsenal's Champions League match against Atalanta in Bergamo, Arteta disclosed: "After everything was scanned, the scan showed he has got some damage, especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle.
"We are going to miss him. I don't want to [give a timeline] because I am not a doctor but yes, it is something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months, but let's see."
Arsenal's official website also confirmed Odegaard's injury status, stating: "Martin Odegaard will likely be out for the next few matches with ankle ligament damage."
Arsenal are gearing up for a heated Premier League title battle with Manchester City this Sunday at the Etihad. Before that, the Gunners' midfielder Declan Rice, who sat out from Arsenal's north London derby glory last weekend due to a one-match suspension, is set to make his comeback in the Champions League.
Arteta's tactical genius shone through during the win over Tottenham, with Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz retreating into the midfield at key moments. Additionally, young prodigy Ethan Nwaneri turned heads with an impactful performance off the bench.
Arteta has expressed unwavering confidence in his youthful squad, claiming: "The young kids have given us a lot of hope and have shown we can count on them. And if we need to, we will do it."
