Former Norway team doctor Lars Engebretsen believes Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard may need more than two months on the sidelines if his worst fears over his recent knee injury are proven correct.
In an injury-hit start to the season, Arsenal’s captain was forced to withdraw from Norway duty after being diagnosed with an injury to his knee ligaments. No further details were provided and no formal return timeline has been clarified.
The lack of clarity has sparked immense concern among Arsenal fans, who have already been forced to cope without their captain for several games this season due to a shoulder problem.
Engebretsen, a former doctor for the Norway national team and a knee injury specialist, confirmed to Dagbladet that, while he did not have the full details of Ødegaard’s latest scans, an absence of up to two months would come as no surprise.
“Six to eight weeks” was the timeline provided by Engebretsen, who refused to rule out the possibility of a more serious cruciate ligament injury which would effectively end Ødegaard’s campaign.
Current team doctor Ola Sand was contacted for comment and admitted Arsenal are the only ones with all the details.
“Can’t say anything,” Sand responded. “Everything is with Arsenal now.”
A two-month absence would effectively rule Ødegaard out until December. While Arsenal have a relatively kind October fixture list, November ends with a gruelling seven-day stretch of games against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, all of which come after the next international break.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is also without winger Noni Madueke, who is due back from his own injury in late November, when versatile striker Kai Havertz is expected to make his long-awaited return to fitness as well.
Gabriel Jesus’s recovery from the same crutiate ligament injury Ødegaard hopes to avoid is expected to carry over into 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Offered Worrying Martin Odegaard Knee Injury Timeline.
