Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has reportedly been absent from the Gunners' clashes with Sevilla, Newcastle United and Burnley due to concussion protocol after being hit in the face with a ball during training.
The Norway international has only appeared in one of Arsenal's last five games in all tournaments, scoring a consolation as a substitute in a 3-1 EFL Cup fourth-round defeat to West Ham United.
Prior to that loss at the London Stadium, Odegaard was only an unused substitute in a 5-0 hammering of Sheffield United, as it emerged that he had been playing through the pain of a hip injury.
As a result, Mikel Arteta's decision to introduce him for the second half of the West Ham clash naturally led to questions, and the Spaniard was further criticised after Odegaard sat out the subsequent defeat to Newcastle United.
Despite only losing to a contentious Anthony Gordon goal, Arsenal severely lacked creativity at St James' Park without Odegaard, who has not been involved in meetings with Sevilla or Burnley either.
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Thankfully for Arsenal, they have not needed Odegaard's services to put those two teams to the sword, although Norway head coach Stale Solbakken recently confessed that he was "worried" about the 24-year-old's fitness after calling him up for November's Euro 2024 qualifiers.
However, the Daily Mail reports that the playmaker's recent spell on the sidelines has nothing to do with his previous hip concern, rather a freak accident on the London Colney training pitches.
The report states that a ball was booted into Odegaard's face before Arsenal's defeat to Newcastle, and the blow was serious enough to rule the ex-Real Madrid man out due to concussion protocol.
Odegaard was apparently due to return to the starting XI for the clash with the Magpies, but he had to be withdrawn and was required to take a six-day rest before returning to action, thereby forcing him to sit out the beating of Sevilla as well.
In Odegaard's place against Burnley, Kai Havertz put in another uninspiring display, before Fabio Vieira was given a straight red card for a rash challenge on Josh Brownhill, ruling him out of three domestic fixtures.
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However, there is confidence that Odegaard will be fit to return for the Gunners' showdown with Brentford on November 25, as he will remain in London rather than link up with the Norway squad this month.
The 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength since departing Real Madrid permanently in the summer of 2021, coming up with 29 goals and 16 assists in 120 games for Arsenal, who initially signed him on loan for the second half of the 2020-21 season.
Odegaard has five goals and one assist to show from his opening 15 appearances of the 2023-24 campaign, and he penned a new long-term contract at the Emirates Stadium until 2028 back in September.
While the Scandinavian is closing in on a return, all of Emile Smith Rowe, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey remain out with their respective injuries, while Gabriel Jesus is struggling with a hamstring issue.
The Gunners supposedly wanted the striker to remain in England over the international break, despite being called up by Brazil, but his national team want to conduct their own assessment on his injury.
Ben Knapton
