Arsenal‘s hopes of welcoming Martin Odegaard back to first-team action have been given a cautious boost, with Norway manager Stale Solbakken sharing a detailed update on the midfielder’s progress.
Speaking to VG, Solbakken revealed that Odegaard’s recovery from ankle ligament damage is on track, but tempered expectations by clarifying that there are still steps left before a full return.
“Everything indicates that things are going according to plan, so it’s about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training,” Solbakken said. He stressed the importance of these final stages, noting, “It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”
Odegaard, who suffered the injury while on international duty against Austria on 9 September, has been sidelined since, leaving Arsenal without their captain for both domestic and European clashes.
Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has offered a similarly measured outlook, recently stating ahead of the Bournemouth match, “He’s not gonna be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. He needs to clear some markers doing things with the ball in that latter stage of rehab. Next week will be crucial.”
The Arsenal boss reiterated the situation ahead of the Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk, which Arsenal won 1-0, saying Odegaard was still not fit but was getting “closer.”
As it stands, the club and Norway remain aligned on Odegaard’s recovery trajectory, with Solbakken in frequent communication with the midfielder. “I have spoken to him quite regularly,” Solbakken added.
“Now that things are starting to move forward, it’s easier, but it’s no fun being injured. At the same time, he has been injured very little, so it is probably a matter of training for him.”
Norway are hopeful that Odegaard could be available again in November, with the possibility of featuring in their upcoming matches during the international break if his recovery continues as planned. However, Solbakken has emphasised that any decision will be contingent on how Odegaard responds during team training sessions in the coming weeks.
In addition to Odegaard, Arsenal are also keeping a close eye on the fitness of Bukayo Saka. The forward has been dealing with a hamstring injury picked up during England’s match against Greece on 10 October. Though initial assessments suggested the injury was not severe, Saka has since missed key games, including Arsenal’s recent clash against Shakhtar.
Mikel Arteta remained hopeful regarding Saka’s potential return, stating, “They are closer. They are both progressing really well,” about both Saka and Odegaard before the game against Shakhtar.
However, after the game, it was a different story. “He wasn’t able to train yet so that’s unlikely,” Arteta said when asked if Saka would be back for Liverpool.
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