Stale Solbakken plays down Martin Odegaard injury fears for Arsenal
Norway manager Stale Solbakken has insisted Martin Odegaard’s knee injury is “nothing serious” despite the Arsenal captain missing the club’s last two matches.
The Gunners playmaker has been sidelined with a recurring issue originally sustained during a 1-1 draw against Brentford last month.
Although Odegaard returned briefly for the north London derby against Tottenham, he was subsequently absent for crucial Premier League victories over Chelsea and Brighton.
However, Solbakken has moved to allay fears regarding the midfielder’s long-term fitness.
Focus on summer recovery
Speaking to Scandinavian broadcaster Viaplay, the national team boss suggested the enforced rest could ultimately benefit the player.
“There is nothing serious about Martin. The most important thing is that he recovers completely and is good for us in the summer.”
Stale Solbakken, Norway Manager
With Norway preparing for the World Cup in North America, Solbakken is prioritizing his captain’s condition for the tournament.
“For those of us who care about the World Cup, it’s not a disaster that he’s getting some breaks now,” Solbakken added.
“He’s going to rebuild and be crucial for Arsenal in April-May and maybe late March.”
A fragmented campaign
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had remained coy regarding the 27-year-old’s status prior to the win at the Amex Stadium.
When quizzed on a potential return date for his skipper, the Spaniard simply remarked “we’ll see”.
It has been an injury-hit season for the Premier League leaders’ creative hub, despite him tallying 20 top-flight appearances so far.
Earlier in the campaign, shoulder issues forced him off during victories over Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.
He also suffered an MCL knee injury against West Ham in October, which sidelined him until a Champions League return against Bayern Munich in late November.
International ambitions
The north London club remain optimistic that Odegaard will play a key role in their pursuit of silverware across four competitions.
Simultaneously, Norway are relying on their leader to be fit for the summer finals.
Odegaard missed his nation’s final three qualifiers but travelled to support the squad as they defeated Italy to book their place at the tournament.
Norway are set to face France and Senegal in the group stages later this year.
