Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Martin Odegaard’s injury: “After recent scans the scans showed that he’s got some damage especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle. It’s something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while.”
A distraught Odegaard needed help leaving the pitch and had to be substituted after turning his ankle during the second half of Norway’s Nations League win over Austria in Oslo earlier this month.
The 25-year-old missed Arsenal’s North London derby win over Tottenham last Sunday and is now set for an unspecified spell on the sidelines.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League opener at Atalanta, Arteta said: “After recent scans the scans showed that he’s got some damage especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle. It’s something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while.”
He missed Arsenal’s North London derby victory over Tottenham on Sunday.
And now head coach Arteta has confirmed he is set to be sidelined for some time, though he did specify a return date.
Speaking ahead of his side’s Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday, he said: “After everything was scanned, the scan showed he has got some damage, especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him.
“I don’t want to [give a timeline] because I am not a doctor but it is something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months but let’s see.”
Arteta also discussed Arsenal having a replacement for Odegaard, adding: “Yes [we have the replacement] but we have to show that. He is our captain, he is one of our biggest players without a doubt.
“He has been one of the most consistent players in the last two or three seasons. Our identity is very related to his way of playing and his way of behaving. We are going to have to deal with that.
“That is a great test for the team as well, of how capable we are to show maybe a different face and the fact we have other players and other options that can still be very effective.”
Odegaard scored 11 goals and assisted 11 more in 48 appearances for Arsenal last season.
