Martin Odegaard injury return date statement as Arsenal captain shares alarming update

Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard has suggested his comeback could be 'swift' should his recovery continue to progress 'really well' following Arsenal's 4-0 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.

However, the Gunners skipper declined to put a specific date on his return due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding the healing process. Odegaard sustained the problem during the clash with West Ham United and was subsequently ruled out of Norway's international fixtures.

The 26-year-old suffered damage to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, with Mikel Arteta previously confirming his key man would be sidelined for several weeks. The ex-Real Madridplaymaker is projected to remain unavailable until after the November international break.

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That timeline could see him back in contention for the north London derby against Tottenham on November 23.

Odegaard has now addressed his fitness setback. The midfielder seems encouraged by his rehabilitation work thus far but remains measured about his advancement.

The creative force expects to provide a more definitive update once he resumes training on the grass. Partly, this is because of where the injury is located. "It's tricky to set a return date with this type of injury because, especially it being my left leg, a lot depends on how it goes when I start getting back on the pitch," said Odegaard in his programme notes.

"Sometimes it can be quite sore when you start passing the ball and shooting and all these things with that leg, so it's really hard to say a date. All I can say is I'm progressing really well at the moment. I think we will know more when I start getting back on the training pitches and we'll see how that goes. If that goes really well then it can be quick."

The skipper reckons he has endured rotten luck with fitness problems throughout the campaign. Odegaard has already been forced to sit out matches due to a shoulder problem.

"It's hard work and long days in recovery, but that's what you want and I feel like it's going well so far," the Norwegian added. "I feel like I've been really unlucky a few times this season.

"It was a knee-to-knee contact in the West Ham game, and at the time I didn't know if it was bad or not because they can be quite painful, but normally you can run it off. So that's why I tried to keep going, to see if it was getting better.

"I was hoping it was just a knock that would improve in a couple of minutes. But it didn't get better and I felt like something was wrong, so in the end it was better to come off. As soon as we got inside, the medical team had a proper look at it. When the adrenaline stopped flowing and it settled down a bit, then it was quite sore."

On the pitch, Odegaard's Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium. Gabriel Martinelli had a goal ruled out for offside before compatriot Gabriel Magalhaes opened the scoring early in the second half.

After that, three goals were scored in the space of six minutes, as Martinelli's strike was followed by a brace from Viktor Gyokeres. "Delighted as he fully deserved it," Arteta said of the Swede.

"The work rate he brings to the team is outstanding. We value a lot of things that he does for the team and it was the biggest smile on his face today and look at his team-mates. Hopefully this is the start of some beautiful sequences."