Norway manager Ståle Solbakken has assured Arsenal supporters that midfielder Martin Ødegaard is not battling a serious knee injury.
The 27-year-old captain has been plagued by fitness problems this season and has missed the last two games because of his latest issue—his third separate injury absence since the start of February.
Having been restricted to just 13 Premier League starts this season, there have been suggestions that Ødegaard may need longer on the sidelines to fully address his fitness problems. But Solbakken insisted the situation is not so concerning.
“There is nothing serious about Martin,” Norway’s manager told Viaplay. “The most important thing is that he recovers completely and is good for us in the summer.
“For those of us who care about the World Cup, it’s not a disaster that he’s getting some breaks now. He’s going to rebuild and be crucial for Arsenal in April/May and maybe late March.”
Arsenal’s Injury Woes Easing at Perfect Time
It was only a few weeks ago that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta expressed fears over the direction of his side’s season after the injury bug got ahold of his midfield.
Arsenal have seen fitness issues tank the late stages of their title pushes in years gone by and, when Ødegaard joined Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz and youngster Max Dowman on the sidelines, things threatened to head in the same direction.
Results began to slip as mixed results were yielded from Eberechi Eze’s increase in minutes and the experimentation of Bukayo Saka in a central role, and the delicate nature of the Premier League title race was all doom-and-gloom.
Havertz and Dowman have since made their returns and Ødegaard is clearly inching closer to his own comeback, adding to Arteta’s options at a period in which the Gunners are still competing for four major trophies.
To remain competitive across the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup, Arteta will need rotation options—and high-level ones, at that. Even on the friendlier side of the draw in Europe’s top competition, Arsenal will need every tool available to them.
Ødegaard’s imminent return gives Arsenal the chance to do exactly that. The Norwegian offers another option at the tip of Arteta’s midfield and will dovetail with the resurgent Eze to try and keep Arsenal’s silverware push going strong.
A specific return date for Ødegaard is not yet clear, but Solbakken appears confident that the Gunners captain will be back in April, leaving the door open for a welcome return as early as this month.
Ødegaard’s Potential Return Date
| Fixture | Date |
|---|---|
| Man City—Carabao Cup final | March 22 |
| Bournemouth (H) | April 11 |
| Man City (A) | April 19 |
With an international break at the end of March, Solbakken will have selfish intentions when it comes to Ødegaard. He will want his star midfielder back in time for Norway’s final warm-up window before the World Cup, but will also avoid any unnecessary risks so close to this summer’s showpiece.
Expect Arsenal and Norway to work together to support Ødegaard’s return, which will likely be delayed until after the break even if that would force him to miss the Carabao Cup final.
If Ødegaard can rediscover his best form upon his return, Arsenal’s title dreams could quickly become a reality.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Receive Crucial Injury Update About Key Player.
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