Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard has returned to London after stepping back from his responsibilities with the Norway national team.

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has made the difficult decision to withdraw from Norway’s upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. He cited the need to “listen to my body” following a lengthy injury layoff.

The talented midfielder has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the international break in September, which kept him out of action for a frustrating seven weeks. Although he initially joined up with the Norwegian squad in Oslo ahead of their matches against Slovenia and Kazakhstan, Ødegaard has now returned to London to continue his rehabilitation.

In a statement reflecting on his situation, Ødegaard said, “After discussions with the medical staff at the national team, we have unfortunately come to the conclusion that the situation is not good enough to play these games.” He added, “I’ve been through a long training period, and when you haven’t practised football in the last nine weeks, it’s natural not to be 100% yet. I need to listen to my body, complete this rehab process, and get my foot back in good shape.”

The 24-year-old expressed his disappointment at missing out on representing his country, stating, “The hope has always been to be able to play the national matches, and if I hadn’t played on Sunday, it would have been out of the question to participate anyway. It’s a very bad feeling to lose these games; I love playing for Norway and with this team.”

Since his injury, Ødegaard has missed a total of 12 matches for Arsenal and has only made five appearances across all competitions this season. His return to London is likely to be welcomed by Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, who has previously described the injury situation as a “nightmare.”

Norway’s team doctor, Ola Sand, confirmed the decision to sideline Ødegaard, stating it was “too risky” for him to participate in the upcoming international fixtures. “We examined Martin thoroughly last night, and we are certain that he is not match-ready,” Sand explained. “He has a complicated ankle injury and has trained very little in recent weeks. What we know is that a previous injury is often the precursor to a new one, so it’s too risky. He really wants to play for the national team, but from our standpoint, the two matches are completely unrealistic.”

Despite Ødegaard’s absence, Norway currently sits atop Nations League Group B3 with seven points from four matches. Arsenal will be hoping for a swift recovery as they prepare for their next fixture against Nottingham Forest on November 23.