Norway boss issues Martin Odegaard update after visit from injured Arsenal captain

Norway boss Stale Solbakken has revealed Martin Odegaard is back in his homeland after suffering an MCL injury last weekend against West Ham. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder was forced to withdraw from international duty after suffering the blow following an awkward clash of knees with Hammers attacker Crysencio Summerville.

Nonetheless, Arsenal have since allowed Odegaard to return to Norway where he paid his national team-mates a visit.

Solbakken has revealed Odegaard had lunch with his Norway colleagues on Thursday and additionally, he will also attend their crunch World Cup qualification match against Israel in Oslo on Saturday.

The 57-year-old said: "He was here and watched a bit, and had a nice lunch with the guys. Martin is a big part of us, he is our captain even though he doesn't play.

"We would have liked to have him on the field, but he is a good man off it. A nice guy who can talk football, and can talk about everything else. He is a security factor for the group."

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Arsenal and Norway remain reluctant to put a timeframe on Odegaard's return but the fact he was authorised to travel back to Scandinavia is being viewed positively by Norwegian sources close to the national team.

When asked if Odegaard will be in the dressing room before this weekend's clash with Israel, Solbakken added: "We didn't agree on that. He's coming to the game. We haven't agreed on what he does or doesn't do, but he'll definitely come in."

Erling Haaland will captain Norway in the absence of Odegaard while fellow Manchester City star Oscar Bobb is expected to be handed a starting berth.

RB Leipzig attacker Antonio Nusa met with the Arsenal captain this week and told Norwegian outlet Dagbladet : "I met Martin yesterday. It was very nice to talk to him. I wish him a speedy recovery. I hope it goes as well as possible."

Norway have only ever qualified for the World Cup finals three times and that hasn't happened since way back in 1998. They have also only ever qualified for the European Championships once in 2000.

Odegaard and Haaland have fired 'Landslaget' to the brink of history, however. After five matches, they boast a 100 per cent record and are currently six points clear of Italy, who have a game in hand.

The two sides meet in Milan next month but Norway are in red-hot form having scored 24 goals throughout qualifying - an average of nearly five per match.