Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is currently injured, but Norwegian manager Starre Solbakken has provided an update on his fitness.
Norway national team manager Starre Solbakken has revealed that Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is still “a long way off” from returning to the pitch.
Solbakken also revealed ahead of Norway’s final two World Cup qualifying matches against Estonia and Italy that an agreement had been reached with Arsenal to have Odegaard included in the squad during the break.
However, he hinted that the 26-year-old midfielder may not return as soon as initially expected.
Asked for an update on Odegaard’s recovery, Solbakken said: “He’s doing well. He’s making steady progress, but it’s still a little ways off.”
read more: Arsenal request changes to Premier League following Mikel Arteta’s abuseread more: Victor Gokeres and eight other Arsenal stars scheduled for extra training during international break
Football.london reports that Odegaard injured his MCL in a knee collision with Chrisencio Somerville during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham in October.
The attacking midfielder is currently in a key stage of his rehabilitation and will continue his recovery with the Norwegian medical team later this week, supporting his international colleagues.
Solbakken confirmed that Arsenal had given Odegaard permission to fly to Oslo and Milan with the Norwegian international. “He will arrive by plane (to Oslo) after his rehabilitation on Thursday. He will then continue his rehabilitation with us and will be with us from Thursday afternoon. I don’t know when the plane will leave, but he will be with us until Milan.”
Arsenal are cautious not to rush Odegaard’s recovery, but are hoping to get him fit for the north London derby against Tottenham on November 23.
Noni Maduez, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are gradually nearing a return, while Victor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli, who had hamstring and groin problems respectively, should also return after the international break. Gokeres and Martinelli were recently left out of Sweden and Brazil’s respective national teams.
A win against Estonia on Thursday could be enough for Norway to secure a spot in the United States, Canada and Mexico, unless Italy picks up a point against Moldova. If qualification is not decided, Norway could secure a place in the World Cup final, where they will face Italy at San Siro.
Already boasting an impressive goal difference of 26, while Italy’s goal difference is 10, Norway are in a strong position to qualify for the group win. Additionally, Norway has a superior head-to-head record, having defeated Italy 3-0 in Oslo in June.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£43
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
