Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been ruled out of Norway’s upcoming international fixtures after suffering a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.
The midfielder was forced off during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday, following a collision with Crysencio Summerville. The victory sent the Gunners top of the Premier League heading into the international break, but came at a cost.
Odegaard’s substitution continued an unwanted trend, marking the third successive league match in which he has been withdrawn before half-time, after similar setbacks against Newcastle United and Manchester City.
Arsenal have not specified how long the 25-year-old will be sidelined but confirmed he will remain in London for treatment at the Sobha Realty Training Centre rather than joining the Norway camp for friendlies against Israel and New Zealand.
“Martin will continue to be assessed and treated by our medical team… with the aim of a return to action as soon as possible,” the club said in a statement.
Arsenal are scheduled to return to league duty with a trip to Fulham on October 18, before facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League three days later.
