LONDON, Sept 24 (Askume) – Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is weeks away from returning from an ankle injury and several other players will miss Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Bolton Wanderers, coach Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday.
Odegaard suffered the injury while playing for Norway during the international break and Arteta does not expect him to return before October.
“I think it will take a few weeks, but I don’t know how long,” the Spaniard told reporters.
“We might have surprises but I think he’s unlikely to be back before the international break.”
Arsenal’s next international matches will be from 7 to 16 October, with Arsenal facing Leicester City and Southampton in the Premier League before facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Arsenal will be looking to bounce back quickly after Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City in their Carabao Cup third round tie against Bolton Wanderers. They played with 10 men for much of the second half but missed a last minute equaliser.
Several Arsenal players required on-field treatment in the second half, with some blaming them for disrupting tactics.
“I always prefer to see facts in words rather than speculation,” Arteta said. “Let’s see who is available tomorrow and then we can discuss the dark arts. Unfortunately, some players will not be available. You will find out tomorrow.”
The arrival of third-tier Bolton Wanderers will provide opportunities for some of Arsenal’s young players, with newly signed Raheem Sterling likely to be included.
“He has some time. He has played a few games and on Wednesday he will have another chance,” Arteta said of the former Manchester City winger, who joined from Chelsea last month.
“He is looking forward to playing for a long time and making an impact on the team.”
