Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard is travelling to Oslo to be assessed ahead of potential action for Norway during the international break.
Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard has travelled to meet up with Norway ahead of two matches during the international break.
The former Real Madrid man made his return to the pitch following an ankle injury on Wednesday night, when he played the final moments of the Champions League defeat at Inter Milan.
Odegaard made a proper return to action on Sunday afternoon, playing the entire 90 minutes of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.
Chief creator for Mikel Arteta‘s troops, the Norwegian provided the assist for Gabriel Martinelli‘s opener in West London before Pedro Neto rifled in a second-half equaliser.
That pass to the Brazilian was Odegaard’s first goal contribution of the Premier League campaign, with the midfielder featuring in just four league matches so far.
“We will see how it turns out” – Odegaard injury decision made
Announced last Tuesday, Arsenal’s Odegaard was left out of the original squad for Norway for the final international break of the calendar year.
However, after featuring in two seperate matches for the Gunners, the 25-year-old has travelled to Oslo ahead of potentially playing a part for his country.
It is understood that Odegaard’s ankle will be assessed in the Norwegian capital before a final decision is made on his availability over the next fortnight.
“We will see how it turns out. The ankle, the medics and Martin decide this,” Norway head coach Stale Solbakken told news outlet VG via The Standard.
If passed fit, Odegaard will likely play a prominent role in Norway’s push for UEFA Nations B promotion as they face Slovenia and Kazakhstan over the next week.
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Odegaard’s importance for Arsenal
Without the creative presence of Odegaard, Arsenal have struggled massively to create consistent clear-cut chances in the Premier League and Champions League.
The Norwegian’s absence has highlighted the Gunners’ lack of ways to cause teams problems in other ways, such as going more direct to a natural striker.
Kai Havertz usually operates as the focal point of the Arsenal attack, whilst former Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus can also play in that role.
