Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will not play for Norway in their upcoming Nations League matches against Slovenia and Kazakhstan.
The Gunners skipper was omitted from Stale Solbakken’s original squad for this week’s crucial fixtures as his side look to seal promotion from Group B3, but flew out to Oslo on Monday for assessment by Norway’s medical staff to determine if he was fit enough to be involved having made his long-awaited comeback from injury for Arsenal in last week’s Champions League defeat by Inter Milan.
Odegaard - who also captains Norway - then started and completed 90 minutes for his club in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League, but it has now been decided that he needs more time to continue his rehabilitation and build full match fitness before being available for international football again.
“After discussions with the medical staff at the national team, we have unfortunately concluded that the situation is not good enough to play these matches,” Odegaard said. “I've been through a long training period and when you haven't practiced football in the last nine weeks, it's natural not to be 100 per cent yet.
“I need to listen to my body, complete this rehab process and get my foot back in good shape. The hope has always been to be able to play the national matches, and if I hadn't played on Sunday, it would have been out of the question to participate anyway.
“It's a very bad feeling to lose these games, I love playing for Norway and with this team. But I have great faith in the boys and wish them the best of luck - there are still good opportunities to win the group.”
Odegaard suffered significant ankle ligament damage on his last appearance for Norway in the Nations League against Austria in early September, an injury which ended up ruling him out for two months as he was forced to miss 12 matches for Arsenal across all competitions.
He finally returned with five minutes off the bench against Inter at the San Siro before making his first start since August and completing the full match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Solbakken said on Monday that he had discussed Odegaard’s situation “openly and honestly” with Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta, insisting that the player had to feel “100 per cent ready” to play after only training fully once in advance of the draw with Chelsea.
Speaking again on Tuesday, the Norway boss said: “We knew that there was a risk that Martin would not be ready. He has had a strong desire to take part in the matches, but we cannot risk his health.
“So I am sure that the boys are ready to give their all in the games that await us and that many will step up in his absence.”
Odegaard will play no part in Thursday’s trip to Slovenia or on Sunday when Norway host Kazakhstan in Oslo. Solbakken’s team currently sit at the summit of their group as they look to seal promotion to the top tier of the Nations League, but they are level on points with both Austria and Slovenia with two matches to go.
Instead the 25-year-old will now return to London and continue to work on his fitness ahead of Arsenal’s return to Premier League action at home to Nottingham Forest on November 23, with the Gunners now facing a gruelling fixture run across all competitions in the build-up to Christmas.
“This has been a complicated ankle injury,” said Norway’s team doctor Ola Sand. “With very few training sessions with the team in the last nine weeks, it is natural that the body is not 100 per cent at this stage.
“After thorough investigations and conversations, we have agreed that Martin will not be ready to play in the matches against Slovenia and Kazakhstan. In consultation with him, we have agreed that it is better for him to return home to London to continue his rehabilitation there.”
