Norway’s Coach Optimistic About Martin Odegaard’s Return for Arsenal’s Clash Against Brentford After Break
Following a rest due to muscle overload, Odegaard scored upon entering as a substitute in Arsenal’s 3-1 loss to West Ham United in the Carabao Cup on November 1,
but surprisingly, he was absent from the subsequent three games.
Arsenal have not confirmed the exact nature of Odegaard’s fitness problems but reports suggest the club captain has been battling both a hip injury and a concussion suffered in training.
Solbakken, who is without Odegaard for Norway’s international fixtures, revealed he has spoken to the 24-year-old and feels as
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though he is making real progress in his quest to return after the break, when Arsenal are due to take on Brentford.
Solbakken said:
“I’ve just come from a 45-minute talk with Martin.”
“He is getting better and better and gradually stepping up.
“It has been more or less three weeks without any special training, so it is important to take things step by step.
Both he and Arsenal probably hope that he is available for the Brentford match.”
To add to the mystery of Odegaard’s injury, Solbakken revealed earlier this week that Norway had long expected to be without their captain for these two fixtures,
despite Arsenal’s determination to get him back to full fitness.
“We have known for quite some time that Martin will not come,” he continues.
“But it must be coordinated with Arsenal, and for as long as they tried to get him healthy and ready, we were quite sure that it would not work.
“When the club is so reserved, I don’t know how right it is for me to talk about it.
It is a common football injury from which he will probably recover very well and which is not career-threatening. It is in the bone.”
