Arsenal fans’ days have gone from bad to worse after Mikel Arteta shared a brutal injury update concerning star midfielder Martin Odegaard.
The Gunners boss confirmed the results of the Norway international’s scan were far from promising – in fact, they revealed ‘significant’ concerns over the footballer’s ankle ligaments.
Due to the severity of the issue, it remains unclear when supporters can expect the 25-year-old back in action.
“Mikel Arteta has confirmed in Bergamo that Martin Odegaard has damaged ankle ligaments following a scan and the injury is ‘quite significant’,” the BBC Radio 5 Live senior reporter relayed (via BBC Sport).
“He wouldn’t put a timescale on how long he will be missing.”
Arsenal are set to pay a visit to Atalanta in Bergamo in their opening Champions League clash on Thursday evening.
MORE: Report: Chelsea star is placed at the top of the list of Real Madrid transfer targets
How did Martin Odegaard get injured?
The former Real Madrid footballer was forced off the pitch after a challenge from Austria midfielder Christoph Baumgartner.
Odegaard then returned to London last week in order to undergo an MRI scan on his damaged ankle.
How long could Arsenal’s Odegaard be out injured?
It’s difficult to put a precise timeline on the Arsenal star’s potential return from injury.
Norway’s team doctor’s initial prognosis would be that the issue would keep the Drammen-born player sidelined for a minimum of three weeks (BBC Sport).
Mikel Arteta’s refusal to put a number on the issue would suggest that this timeline was a conservative estimate.
For a rough indication, it’s worth noting that Harvard Health claim a grade two tear and up could keep someone out of action for between three weeks to ‘several months’.