Arsenal captain suffers ‘small setback’ ahead of Bournemouth clash

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Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has encountered a ‘small setback’ in his recovery from injury, casting doubt over his availability for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

The Norwegian midfielder has endured a challenging campaign with various fitness issues, missing 11 games since January due to muscle and knee problems that have disrupted his rhythm during a crucial period of the season.

Odegaard appeared to have overcome his latest injury concerns during the international break, featuring in Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Southampton and starting against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Tuesday night in Portugal.

However, the 27-year-old showed signs of discomfort as he was substituted with 20 minutes remaining in Lisbon, replaced by Kai Havertz as the Gunners secured their Champions League knockout stage progression.

Training ground concerns

The captain was notably absent from first-team training on Thursday as Arsenal prepared for their weekend fixture against the Cherries. He was joined on the sidelines by several other key players, including Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie, who have all missed the club’s last two matches.

Riccardo Calafiori was also missing from the training session, adding to Mikel Arteta’s selection headaches ahead of the Bournemouth encounter.

According to Norwegian outlet TV2, Odegaard’s latest issue appears to be related to his knee once again, though Norway national team manager Stale Solbakken has offered reassurance about the severity of the problem.

Positive outlook from Norway camp

‘Martin “got one” where he shouldn’t have, but I don’t think it’s a bad one. I think he’ll be back on the field in the not-too-distant future,’ Solbakken explained. ‘A small setback, but it doesn’t have to mean much.’

The timing of Odegaard’s latest fitness concern adds another layer of complexity to Arsenal’s title charge. The Gunners currently sit nine points clear at the Premier League summit as domestic action resumes this weekend, though their quadruple ambitions have been reduced to a potential double following defeats in the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City and the FA Cup exit against Southampton.

Arteta is expected to provide a comprehensive update on Odegaard’s condition and the fitness of his other sidelined players during Friday’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Bournemouth fixture.