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.
