Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to miss at least six weeks of action after suffering knee ligament damage, delivering another significant blow to Mikel Arteta’s side as they continue their push on multiple fronts this season.
The 26-year-old midfielder was forced off during the first half of Arsenal’s 2–0 win over West Ham before the international break, following a collision with Crysencio Summerville.
Arteta later described the incident as a “knee on knee” clash, and initial assessments confirmed damage to Odegaard’s medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
While the club initially declined to set a return date, the BBC have now reported that the Norwegian playmaker will be sidelined until at least mid-November, ruling him out of several key fixtures.
The timeline means Odegaard is expected to miss four Premier League matches and two Champions League games, with his earliest possible return coming after the next international window.
That would put his comeback just in time for the north London derby against Tottenham on November 23 at the Emirates Stadium — though Arsenal’s medical staff are expected to take a cautious approach with their captain.
The setback continues a frustrating run of injuries for Odegaard, who has endured a stop-start campaign due to recurring fitness problems.
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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to miss at least six weeks of action after suffering knee ligament damage, delivering another significant blow to Mikel Arteta’s side as they continue their push on multiple fronts this season
|PA
His withdrawal against West Ham marked an unwanted Premier League record as he became the first player to be substituted before half-time in three consecutive matches.
The Norway international had already been taken off early in wins over Leeds and Nottingham Forest, both times due to an ongoing shoulder issue that has hindered his rhythm this season.
Arteta expressed concern following the victory over the Hammers, admitting the injury could prove serious.
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will be forced to cope without Martin Odegaard for the foreseeable future
|PA
“I just spoke to him, he’s not positive about it, he’s got a brace on,” said the Arsenal manager.
“We’ll have to wait and see from the doctors, but we haven’t been very lucky with that either.
“We haven’t had him since the start of the season for one reason or another — the shoulder twice and now this injury.
“We’ll have to wait and see the extent of it, and we’ll find solutions, but obviously he’s our captain and gives us a completely different dimension, especially in attack.”
Odegaard’s absence has been felt both on and off the pitch.
His vision and control in the final third are pivotal to Arsenal’s creative play, and his leadership has become increasingly important to a side still maturing under Arteta.
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Martin Odegaard has been plagued by injury issues at Arsenal this season
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The captain’s injury also forced him to withdraw from international duty with Norway, missing their 5–0 victory over Israel on Saturday.
His unavailability has opened the door for Eberechi Eze, who has stepped into the advanced midfield role in recent weeks.
The former Crystal Palace playmaker has impressed in patches and is expected to continue deputising during Ødegaard’s recovery.
Arteta has experimented with various midfield configurations in the captain’s absence, including a more conservative trio of Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice against Liverpool and Manchester City.
However, criticism of that approach has seen the Arsenal manager revert to a more attacking setup with Eze occupying the No 10 position.
With a demanding run of fixtures ahead, including Champions League clashes and a trip to Newcastle, Odegaard’s recovery will be watched closely by the club’s medical staff.