Arsenal star Martin Odegaard has commented on his injury status as he has revealed what “scared” him as he awaited a detailed diagnosis.
Following an impressive loan spell, Odegaard made his move to Arsenal from Real Madrid permanent in the 2021 summer transfer window for around £35m.
The 25-year-old has been sensational for the Gunners in recent seasons as they have emerged as serious Premier League title contenders
Odegaard has been Arsenal’s captain since 2022 and he grabbed 18 goal involvements in his 35 Premier League appearances last season.
The central midfielder has managed to avoid injuries in recent years, but he hurt his ankle during last month’s international break.
It was initially feared that this could be a ‘significant’ injury, but head coach Mikel Arteta has confirmed that his return should only be a ‘matter of weeks’ away.
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Arteta said: “I think it will be a matter of weeks, but how long exactly I cannot tell,” Arteta said.
“We might get a surprise but I think it’s unlikely he’ll be back before the international break.”
Odegaard has admitted he was “scared” about his injury and he was “unfortunate” and “felt it could be serious”.
“It was a bad twist to my ankle, and I damaged some ligaments there, but it’s part of football and now I’m just trying to recover as quickly as I can,” Odegaard said.
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“I’m moving forward, making progress and I’m feeling more positive every day. I have to be careful not to push it too much, but at the same time do what I can to make sure I come back as strongly and quickly as possible.
“It’s something I’m not used to. I’ve been quite fortunate, if that’s the word, or have done well to avoid injuries in the past, but this is football and I have to get on with it. I think it was unfortunate to get the injury in the way that I did, but also it could have been worse.
“It was not a nice twist, and when it happened I felt it could be serious. I’ve injured my ankle before and the pain felt a bit different this time.
“That’s what scared me, but from what happened it could have been worse, so in that sense I got away with it a bit. Like any player, the first thing I asked the medical team was how long I would be out for, but it’s a bit tricky to say at the moment.
“In the early stages, it’s crucial to get a proper rest and to make sure everything heals well. After that, it’s about getting stronger and building it up again.”
