Norway Boss Delivers Devastating Martin Odegaard Injury Blow to Arsenal

Norway's head coach Ståle Solbakken has stated that Arsenal's playmaker Martin Ødegaard remains "quite far away" from making his comeback to competitive football.

The 2025–26 season has proven challenging for Ødegaard, who endured two separate shoulder injuries during the campaign's opening stages before sustaining a severe knee injury in October that has kept him out of action since then.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has avoided setting a specific timeline for Ødegaard's comeback, though before the recent international break, he indicated the player was "getting close" along with other injured teammates Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli.

However, Solbakken appeared less optimistic when asked about his skipper's condition at the beginning of the November international period.

"[Ødegaard's rehabilitation] is progressing steadily," he stated. "The progress is consistent but he remains quite far away."

Ødegaard Will Join Norway Squad During International Break

Following a similar approach to Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez, Arsenal have allowed Ødegaard to split his rehabilitation period between the club and Norway's national setup over the coming weeks.

"He will arrive [in Oslo] following his rehabilitation session on Thursday," Solbakken revealed. "He'll then continue his recovery work with our team and join us from Thursday evening.

"I'm uncertain about his departure time. However, he'll remain with us until Milan [on Nov. 16]."

Arsenal had hoped to have Ødegaard available for the north London derby, but concerns about his readiness for that match emerged last month when it was noted the midfielder would be absent until "at minimum" after the November international window.

Ødegaard has acknowledged it's "difficult" to establish a firm date for his return, stating that much depends on how he responds once he resumes training activities.