Odegaard Faces New Setback After West Ham Clash
Arsenal have confirmed that captain Martin Ødegaard will spend time on the sidelines after picking up a knee ligament injury during the 2–0 victory over West Ham at the Emirates.
The Norwegian playmaker was forced off after just 30 minutes following a collision with Crysencio Summerville, sparking immediate concern on the Gunners’ bench.
Arsenal Confirm Medial Ligament Damage
According to an official club update, Ødegaard has sustained a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury in his left knee. He will remain in London Colney for further assessment and treatment during the international break.
The club statement read:
“Martin Ødegaard has been withdrawn from the Norway national team after sustaining a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.
He will continue to be assessed and treated by our medical team at the Sobha Realty Training Centre, with the aim of returning to action as soon as possible.”
Ødegaard’s withdrawal means he will miss Norway’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel and a friendly against New Zealand next week.
Injury Concerns Pile Up for Arsenal
The Arsenal skipper has endured a stop-start season due to multiple injury issues — including shoulder discomfort that saw him subbed off early against Leeds and Nottingham Forest in previous games.
He now becomes the latest name on Arsenal’s growing injury list, joining Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Piero Hincapie in the treatment room.
Mixed Fitness News for Mikel Arteta
There’s some relief for manager Mikel Arteta, as midfielder Declan Rice is expected to be fit despite a back problem that forced him off late in the West Ham win.
Rice, who scored the opening goal in the London derby, is still set to join the England squad for their upcoming friendlies against Wales and Latvia.
Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane is also expected to report for duty after picking up a minor knock in Bayern Munich’s 3–0 Bundesliga win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
