Former Norway national team doctor Lars Engebretsen claims Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard could be sidelined for up to two months.

The 26-year-old was forced off before halftime during the win over West Ham last weekend after sustaining a medial collateral ligament injury.

While the Gunners have not provided an estimate on when Odegaard will return to fitness, Engebretsen gave his own assessment when asked by Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet:

“I don’t have information about exactly what the MRI showed but based on the injury video, it could be a lateral ligament injury. If it is such an injury, Odegaard risks being out for six to eight weeks but it depends on the size.”

“It could also be a more extensive injury, cruciate ligaments, maybe. In that case, the period on the sidelines could be longer.”

Arsenal fans should not panic

It should be pointed out that Engbretsen is not Norway’s current doctor so he doesn’t have any inside information regarding the injury.

As he points out, it depends on the extent of the ligament tear. If it is minor, Odegaard could be on the treatment table for as little as 1 to 3 weeks, and there is a chance that he could return before the end of October.

However, if Engbretsen is proven correct, the midfielder may only make his comeback at the beginning of December.

The club can cope without Odegaard

While his playmaking abilities will undoubtedly be missed, manager Mikel Arteta does have several other options who can be deployed in the No.10 role.

The most obvious one is Eberechi Eze, but Ethan Nwaneri is also available. The sheer depth in the first-team squad means that the club should be able to deal with Odegaard’s absence, even for a considerable length of time.

Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here