Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is facing a significant spell on the sidelines, expected to miss at least nine games after sustaining a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury in his knee. The injury occurred during the Gunners' 2-0 victory over West Ham on October 4, which saw the midfielder replaced during the first half of the match.

Initially, Arsenal released a statement confirming Odegaard would miss the current international window, though a precise timeline for his return was not provided. However, reports, including from the BBC, now indicate that the 26-year-old Norwegian international will remain unavailable until after the next set of international fixtures in the middle of November. This extended absence means Odegaard will miss several crucial encounters across multiple competitions.

The fixtures he is set to miss include Premier League clashes against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Sunderland. In the Champions League, Arsenal will have to contend without their captain for matches against Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague. Additionally, he is expected to be ruled out of the League Cup tie against Brighton.

This latest setback adds to a challenging season for Odegaard, who has been plagued by injury problems. He was previously forced off in the first half of three consecutive league games and also sustained a shoulder injury in September. Despite these issues, the club currently sits atop the Premier League table, one point ahead of champions Liverpool, with Odegaard having managed just seven appearances this season.

Following the West Ham game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta commented on the injury, stating, "I think he had a clash, knee-to-knee and immediately he was uncomfortable. I just spoke to him and he is not positive about it." Arteta added that Odegaard had a brace on and expressed concern about the team's ongoing bad luck with injuries. He acknowledged the captain's importance, saying, "He is our captain and is a player that gives us a completely different dimension with things that he can do, especially in the attack."

There remains uncertainty regarding whether Odegaard will recover in time for the highly anticipated North London derby against Tottenham, scheduled for November 23 at the Emirates Stadium, immediately following the next international break. The club will be hoping for a swift recovery for their influential skipper.