Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard admits being ‘scared’ by potential severity of ankle injury as Gunners’ creator-in-chief provides uncertain update on recovery

The attacking midfielder limped off in Norway’s Nations League clash with Austria earlier this month, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta later revealing the 25-year-old had suffered a “significant” ankle injury. Now, the former Real Madrid man has spoken about his rehab process and his initial fears about the setback.

• Getty Images

  WHAT ODEGAARD SAID

  He told Arsenal’s website: “It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I’m just trying to recover as quickly as I can. I’m moving forward, making progress and I’m feeling more positive every day. I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible.
  “It’s something I’m not used to. I’ve been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it. I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse.

  “It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious. I’ve injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time. That’s what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit. Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it’s a bit tricky to say at the moment. In the early stages, it’s crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that, it’s about getting stronger and building it up again.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Despite this injury, Gunners manager Arteta is hopeful Odegaard will be back in action in a “matter of weeks” – with a return after next month’s international break a possibility. The Norwegian scored 11 goals and bagged as many assists last season, so not having him available for a significant time will hurt their silverware chances this term.

  • Getty

    WHAT NEXT?

    The next international break runs from October 7-15, with the Premier League returning a few days later. It remains to be seen if Arsenal skipper Odegaard will be back fit for his team’s matches after that pause.