Martin Ødegaard steps up recovery as Arsenal captain nears return | OneFootball

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard (26) has taken a significant step forward in his recovery from a knee injury, revealing that he has begun light running on an anti-gravity treadmill at the club’s Sobha training ground, Sky Sports reports.

The Norwegian midfielder has been sidelined since suffering an MCL injury during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham on October 4, and his absence has been keenly felt in Mikel Arteta’s side. The use of the anti-gravity machine, which reduces pressure on joints by supporting a portion of the athlete’s body weight, allows players to maintain fitness while minimising strain on the injured area.

“I’ve started moving around more and I’ve been running on the anti-gravity machine this week,” Ødegaard explained in his programme notes ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup tie. “It’s good to feel that it’s going in the right direction. It gives you more motivation.”

The 26-year-old’s rehabilitation appears to be following a similar trajectory to last season, when he used the same method to recover from an ankle problem before returning in early November.

With Arsenal entering a demanding stretch of fixtures, Ødegaard’s steady progress offers hope that their influential captain could soon make his return to action.

GFN | Finn Entwistle