By Adenike Lawal
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for several weeks, dealing a major blow to the Gunners’ title push.
Ødegaard sustained a medial collateral ligament issue in his left knee during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham before the international break.
He also missed Norway’s recent fixtures, and manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that no return date has been set.
“It’s going to be weeks. There’s no fixed timeline, but he’s making good progress,” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Fulham.
The Arsenal boss praised Ødegaard’s professionalism, describing the 26-year-old as “very unlucky” and “meticulous” in his fitness routine.
With Ødegaard sidelined, Arsenal may reshuffle their attack, with Eberechi Eze likely to fill the creative midfield role.
In better news, Piero Hincapie has returned to full training and could make the squad, while Noni Madueke and Kai Havertz are also nearing recovery.
Arteta urged focus as Arsenal look to maintain top spot in the Premier League.
“We’ve raised the level; now the challenge is to sustain it,” he said.
