Arsenal 25yo informs national team he’s not available for selection | OneFootball

Martin Odegaard won’t be called up by Norway for the October international break, having informed his national team he’s unavailable.

Norway’s coach Staale Solbakken (C) oversees a training session with Norway’s men’s national football team with Norway’s forward Erling Braut Haland (L) and Norway’s midfielder Martin Odegaard at the Ullevaal stadium in Oslo on June 14, 2023. (Photo by FREDRIK VARFJELL/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Norwegian outlet TV 2 report that before Tuesday’s announcement of Norway’s squad for the October international break, Martin Odegaard had already been ruled out of contention.

Odegaard reportedly informed Norway that he was not available for selection due to the injury he sustained during the September break.

The Arsenal midfielder is yet to return to action with the Gunners, and we’re now certainly unlikely to see him before after this month’s internationals.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal hands the Captains armband to Bukayo Saka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Emirates Stadium on August 31, 2024. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Odegaard will therefore miss Arsenal’s game against Southampton on Saturday, October 5th, Norway’s Nations League clash with Slovenia on Thursday, October 10th, and their trip away to Austria on Sunday, October 13th.

The Arsenal captain’s earliest possible return date is now Saturday, October 19th, when Mikel Arteta’s team travel away to Bournemouth.

If it is possible to get Odegaard back involved on that date, it would be ideal. The Gunners play Liverpool the following weekend, which is not as appealing for a first comeback game.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal applauds the fans following the team’s victory during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Emirates Stadium on August 17, 2024. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Arsenal play Shakhtar Donetsk in between those two fixtures, but again, it wouldn’t be ideal for Odegaard to play in midweek and then against Liverpool at the weekend.

If he’s going to have any chance of a start against Liverpool, he likely needs to feature against Bournemouth first.