Liam Duckstein
Martin Odegaard to miss games until mid-November after knee injury
Martin Odegaard, captain of Arsenal, is not expected to return from a knee injury until after the November international break and will likely remain sidelined into mid-November.
The 26-year-old suffered a medial collateral ligament problem during Arsenal’s 4 October win over West Ham and was forced off in the first half. The club confirmed the day after that he would miss the current international window but did not give a firm recovery date.
Arsenal now expect Odegaard to be unavailable through the next set of internationals in mid-November, meaning he will miss a number of key fixtures for club and country.
- Premier League: Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, Sunderland
- Champions League: Atletico Madrid, Slavia Prague
This is another setback for Odegaard, whose season has been interrupted by a run of early substitutions. He has been forced off in the first half of three consecutive Premier League matches, an unusual start for the club’s captain.
Manager Mikel Arteta will feel the absence keenly — Odegaard is central to Arsenal’s build-up play and leadership on the pitch. Arsenal’s north London derby at Tottenham comes straight after the international break; the match is scheduled for 23 November and it is uncertain whether Odegaard will be fit in time.
On the international stage, Norway strengthened their 2026 World Cup qualifying bid with a 5-0 win over Israel, a result that keeps their hopes alive of reaching their first major tournament since 2000.