Martin Ødegaard
Ståle Solbakken says Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard is making progress but the manager isn’t certain of his return date.
The 27-year-old came off the bench in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on February 22nd.
He has been on the sidelines since then due to a knee injury and Solbakken had to leave the Arsenal star out of his squad for this international break.
Earlier this month, Sport Witness covered claims from Norway that his situation is causing concern to the national team. Te World Cup crawls ever closer and now is the time that worry starts.
The former Real Madrid man has frequently struggled with injuries this season. This has not only seen him miss matches for the Gunners but also for his country. He hasn’t made an appearance for Norway since September.
Last week, the manager said Ødegaard is clearly not happy with his injury situation.
Arsenal player making progress
Dagbladet again contacted Ståle Solbakken to check for an update on Martin Ødegaard’s progress from the setback.
The national team boss confirmed he’s connected with the player via SMS and shares the current status of his recovery.
“I haven’t talked to him. But we have texted a bit. The most important thing is that he is making progress,” he said.
Prior to the international break, Mikel Arteta said the Norway international should return to the pitch in weeks.
The newspaper now specifically asked the manager whether the Arsenal man could return after Easter [April 5th].
Responding to that, Solbakken explained: “When he will be ready, I don’t know. But it is good progress.”
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace striker Jørgen Strand Larsen remains hopeful Ødegaard will be in top shape for the World Cup.
“Of course, we should have had him here. Like everyone else, he knows his own body best. There has been a lot going on around his injury situation. We need him ready for the World Cup. He is probably using the time well to be ready for it,” he added.
Norway’s fixtures and results for March international break
2-1 defeat to Netherlands on March 27th
Friendly v Switzerland on March 31st
Martin Ødegaard’s situation is certainly concerning for both his club and country. Mikel Arteta can only hope for his quick return, to help Arsenal in their title challenge.
If that were to happen, it would help him enjoy minutes, which can also benefit Norway for the World Cup.