Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has revealed that knee problems have limited his impact this season.
Speaking after the 1-0 victory against West Ham at the weekend, where he provided the assist for the winner, Odegaard said he now feels fully fit, which hasn’t been the case for most of the campaign:
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“Today, I felt fantastic. It’s been a tough season for me personally. I’ve been fighting my injury.”
“I’ve struggled with my knee for a long time, but I’ve fought really hard to be around the team and in the squad and play when I can. I’m finally starting to feel better now.”
How many days has Odegaard been on the treatment table?
The 27-year-old has spent 137 days out injured this season, which means he has missed 22 matches in total.
Not all of the injuries were related to Odegaard’s knee, as he has had a couple of muscular problems as well, but he has been on the sidelines on three separate occasions due to the same issue.
This has undoubtedly been the worst campaign of his career in terms of fitness, and he is clearly hoping that he is past the worst of it.
A fully fit Odegaard is a massive boost for Arsenal
There is no doubt whatsoever that Mikel Arteta’s side have missed the Norwegian international’s creativity from open play over the course of the season.
While Eberechi Eze has stepped in ably at times, he is by no means at the same level when it comes to setting up chances for his teammates. The 27-year-old has just 2 assists in the Premier League since making the switch from Crystal Palace last summer.
With Odegaard having now declared that he is back to 100% fitness, you would expect him to be recalled to the starting eleven for the Burnley fixture on Monday night.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here