Will Martin Odegaard be fit to face Brentford?

Sami Mokbel reports for the Daily Mail that Martin Odegaard is now expected to be available when Arsenal return from the international break for their game away to Brentford on November 25th.

The Mail previously broke the news that Odegaard had been suffering with a concussion sustained in the build-up to the Newcastle United game, forcing him out of that fixture.

The Arsenal captain then missed further games against Sevilla and Burnley.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal FC and PSV Eindhoven at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2023. 

LONDON, ENGLAND: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates scoring the fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal FC and PSV Eindhoven at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2023. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Though Odegaard has now pulled out of international duty with Norway as well, the Mail claim he’s expected to return to full fitness immediately after the international break.

Odegaard suffered his concussion on November 3rd, and the new Premier League protocols required an absence of at least seven days in cases of concussion, but that minimum can be increased to 12 in certain cases.

Those cases include if you’ve had a concussion in the last 12 months, if you’ve had five or more concussions in your career, if you’ve had a loss of consciousness, or if you’ve shown confusion on the field.

That would take us to November 15th, and perhaps explain why Odegaard didn’t return against Burnley.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on September 03, 2023 in London, England.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrates after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on September 03, 2023. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Odegaard featured in all of Arsenal’s first 14 games of the season, but he’s only played 10 minutes in the last five matches.

With five goals in all competitions, the Gunners captain is second only to Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka (both six) for Arsenal this season.