Norway will monitor Martin Odegaard after the Arsenal star’s surprise decision to join squad for Nations League games following recent return from an ankle injury
Norway will monitor Martin Odegaard after the Arsenal star’s surprise decision to join squad for Nations League games following recent return from an ankle injury Norway will monitor Martin Odegaard after the Arsenal star’s surprise decision to join squad for Nations League games following recent return from an ankle injury
Arsenal are anxiously waiting to learn whether Martin Odegaard will be risked by Norway after the playmaker surprisingly linked up with his national team.
Odegaard has just returned from a two-month injury lay-off having torn ankle ligaments during September’s international break. But Mikel Arteta could see his captain face Slovenia and Kazakhstan despite initially being left out of Stale Solbakken’s squad.
Odegaard played the entirety of Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea having returned as a substitute in the Champions League defeat away to Inter Milan.
He will be assessed by Norway’s medical staff before a decision is made with Solbakken admitting they do not know how the ankle will have been affected by his first full match back.
And the Norway boss has hinted that the final decision may rest with the 24-year-old star.
Solbakken, who has “discussed the situation openly and honestly,” with Arteta, said: “He didn’t have much more information than what had come to light and what Martin had said to both the medical team at Arsenal and to us.
“He has trained one and a half times in almost eight weeks since the injury. When he plays 95 minutes, there must be a reaction.
“This will be a decision that will hopefully be made within a couple of days between the medical team and Martin. He is the one who must feel 100 per cent ready for this.”
Despite not being fully fit, Odegaard provided the assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s goal versus Chelsea.
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Image:
Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
And team-mate Mikel Merino underlined his importance to the Gunners by saying: “It’s obvious that when we have him, we are a better team.
“I think he will need some time to get back to his best level, even though he is one of the best players in the Premier League.
“But yeah, I think this team needs every single player, not only Martin, but everyone being healthy and back to 100 per cent, because this is a squad and we need everybody.”
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have already withdrawn from the England squad after they limped out of Stamford Bridge.
Arteta said he was “praying” that there are no new injuries during the break after a “nightmare eight weeks” during which he has been without a host of key men.
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