Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is unlikely to return from his knee injury until after the November international break.
The midfielder sustained a medial collateral ligament problem during the Gunners’ 3-1 win over West Ham on 4 October, forcing him off before half-time.
Arsenal confirmed the following day that Odegaard would miss the current international window but did not specify a recovery timeline. However, the 26-year-old is now expected to remain sidelined until mid-November at the earliest.
That means he will miss upcoming Premier League fixtures against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sunderland, as well as Champions League ties with Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague — a setback for Mikel Arteta, who relies heavily on the Norwegian’s creativity and leadership.
Odegaard’s season has been disrupted by recurring fitness issues, having been substituted before half-time in three successive league games earlier this campaign.
Arsenal resume action after the international break with a north London derby against Tottenham on 23 November, and it remains uncertain whether Odegaard will recover in time for that clash.
Meanwhile, Odegaard’s national team, Norway, strengthened their World Cup qualification hopes with a 5-0 win over Israel on Saturday as they chase their first major tournament appearance since Euro 2000.
