Norway boss planning to call up Martin Odegaard despite Arsenal captain yet to make comeback from injury

Due to an ankle injury he sustained while playing for Norway in September, Odegaard has been sidelined for over six weeks. The Arsenal captain has reportedly begun the last stage of his recovery but has been unavailable for Mikel Arteta’s side as their injury struggles continue.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Odegaard was unavailable for Norway as well earlier this month when they took on Slovenia and Austria. Solbakken’s men won their clash at home against Slovenia 3-0 but fell to a disappointing 5-1 loss to Austria, and they now sit atop their Nations League group stage level with the aforementioned sides. Solbakken has now revealed that he plans to call up Odegaard for the last two group-stage clashes in November as Norway look to qualify for the knockout stages.

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  WHAT SOLBAKKEN SAID

  Speaking to VG, Solbakken said: “Odegaard’s recovery? Everything indicates that things are going according to plan.

  “So it’s about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training. It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”

• WHAT NEXT FOR NORWAY?

  Solbakken’s men will be in action up next when they take on Slovenia and Kazakhstan on November 14 and November 17, respectively. Norway will be hopeful that Odegaard will be fit enough to affect those games as they look to secure promotion to League A as Group B3 winners.