Martin Odegaard has missed Arsenal’s last seven games but he is potentially closing in on a return to action.
The Gunners captain has been out since the start of September having suffered ankle ligament damage while on international duty with Norway.
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.
But there is now light at the end of the tunnel…
When will Martin Odegaard return?
Arteta has given an update on the timeframe surrounding Odegaard‘s comeback from injury.
The Norweigan has been confirmed to miss his eighth straight game as he won’t play a part against Bournemouth.
However, he is now entering a pivotal part of his recovery.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday morning, Arteta revealed: “He is not going to be fit for this game [against Bournemouth].
“Next week will be a different story.
“In the later stages of his rehab, he needs to clear some markers, do some different things, especially with the ball.
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“Next week is crucial to see how close he is.”
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.
And now Arteta’s comments will boost fans’ spirits even more.
The Gunners face Liverpool in a huge top-of-the-table clash next week, so having Odegaard back would be a huge boost.
His only input on his situation came in his captain’s column for Arsenal’s matchday programme before the international break.
Odegaard 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.
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“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.”
Now after Arteta’s update following the break, it seems Odegaard’s hard work is paying off and a return is near.
Despite their captain’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.
