September 19 – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said the club’s captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a “quite significant” ankle ligament injury, suggesting the Norwegian midfielder might be out for a long stretch.
Earlier this month, Odegaard limped off injured during Norway’s victory against Austria in the Nations League after hurting his left ankle following a foul by Christoph Baumgartner in the second half.
Back in London, Odegaard underwent a MRI scan that according to Arteta revealed a ‘significant’ injury. The Spanish manager said: “The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him. It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”
The nature of the injury is a serious blow to the Gunners, who are once again seeking to compete for the Premier League title. On Sunday, in the absence of Odegaard, they defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the North London Derby.
“He’s our captain,” said Arteta. “He’s been one of the biggest and best players in our team. Our identity is very linked to how he plays and behaves. It’s a big test for the team to see how able we are to show a different face.”
In the coming days and weeks, Arteta will need his team, without the 25-year-old Norwegian, to show the resilience that ensured victory against Tottenham. Tonight, Arsenal take on last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta and at the weekend they travel north to play league leaders and current English champions Manchester City.
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