Martin Odegaard has shared footage of himself back running – but Arsenal fans have been told he is still a ‘long way’ from returning to action.
The Gunners skipper has been out since the start of September having suffered ankle ligament damage while on international duty with Norway.
Odegaard is back running ahead of his eagerly-awaited return to the football pitchInstagram: @odegaard.98
Boss Mikel Arteta confirmed that the 25-year-old had suffered a ‘significant’ setback and was facing a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Odegaard‘s injury has seen him miss Premier League clashes with Tottenham, Manchester City, Leicester and Southampton.
He has also been absent for the opening two Champions League matches against Atalanta and Paris Saint-Germain, along with the Carabao Cup tie with Bolton.
Arsenal supporters were given a boost when both Odegaard and the club shared footage of him running on an anti-gravity treadmill – suggesting a return may not be far off.
With matches against Liverpool, Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea on the horizon, Gooners have been left optimistic he could feature in the difficult run of fixtures.
However recent quotes from Norway boss Stale Solbakken suggest that those fans will have to keep waiting for the return of their captain.
Solbakken commented on the midfielder’s fitness ahead of his side’s Nations League clash with Slovenia on Thursday night.
Quoted by Norwegian news outlet Dagsavisen. he said: “There is great progress in relation to pain and injury, but he is a long way from playing matches.”
He then claimed that Odegaard’s return is ‘In Arsenal’s hands,’ before he was then asked when the player could grace the turf again.
To which he stated: “I don’t think anyone knows that, and I don’t think he knows it himself either.”
It still may be some time before the Gunners skipper is back in action@odegaard.98
Odegaard suffered ankle ligament damage when playing for Norway in last month’s international breakGetty
Solbakken’s comments come just days after Odegaard offered an optimistic message in his captain’s column for last Saturday’s matchday programme.
He wrote: “I just wanted to start with the latest on my injury and rehab. In the last week or so I’ve made really good progress.
“I’m getting better and better by the day and feel it’s going well.
“When you feel like things are moving forward, it gives you motivation to do more and more, and work harder.
“Today is our last game before another international break, so that gives me some more time to work on the rehab, too.
“Hopefully it won’t be much longer; I think we will know more as soon as I get out on the training pitches and we see how my ankle responds to that.
“At the moment it’s progressing well and it looks better than we were thinking, but we’ve still got to take every day as it comes.”
Despite Odegaard’s absence, Arsenal remain unbeaten in all competitions from their ten matches this term.
They sit third in the Premier League table – one point behind leaders Liverpool – while they have also scooped four points in Europe, along with safely progressing into the Carabao Cup fourth round.
