Arsenal supporters have received a positive update regarding the fitness of club captain Martin Odegaard.
The 25-year-old playmaker has missed the Gunners' last seven games across all competitions since suffering a "significant" ankle ligament injury while representing Norway during last month's international break.
Mikel Arteta's side have preserved their unbeaten start to the season in all competitions in Odegaard's absence, winning each of their last four matches since a 2-2 Premier League draw with Manchester City at the end of September.
Odegaard is not fit to play for Norway during this month's international break, but their manager Stale Solbakken has revealed that the playmaker is making "great progress" in his recovery.
Speaking to Norwegian news outlet Dagsavisen on Tuesday, Solbakken said: "There is great progress in relation to pain and injury, but he is a long way from playing matches."
Asked when Odegaard might return to action, the Norway boss added: "I don't think anyone knows that, and I don't think he knows it himself either."
© Imago
Is Odegaard edging closer to return from injury?
Arsenal are yet to put a timeframe on Odegaard's return, although the Gunners' latest update suggests that the midfielder is edging closer to making his comeback.
Indeed, Arsenal have posted footage of their No.8 training individually and running on an anti-gravity treadmill, a machine used to allow players to begin running sooner by reducing the weight on joints or muscles.
Step by step 🏃
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 8, 2024
There's no rest in recovery. pic.twitter.com/zROGvxW6ZF
This comes after Odegaard issued a positive update on his recovery last week prior to Arsenal's 3-1 win over Southampton, saying in the club's matchday programme: "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."
© Imago
Could Odegaard return after the international break?
The fact that Odegaard has started to run and put pressure on his knee suggests that he is close to making his comeback, but Arsenal are expected to give the playmaker as much time as he needs and will not rush him back too soon.
With that in mind, Odegaard may not be ready to feature in either of Arsenal's next two matches away against Bournemouth in the Premier League on October 19 or at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League three days later.
However, there is a chance that Odegaard could target a return ahead of a top-of-the-table Premier League battle with leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on October 24.
Oliver Thomas
