Arsenal
Ødegaard Withdrawn from October Norway Squad After Knee Injury
Martin Ødegaard will miss October internationals with a knee injury; Arsenal have no timeline. still.
Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard will not participate in October’s international fixtures after sustaining a knee injury, Norway team doctor Ola Sand has confirmed. The national team made the decision to withdraw him from the training camp while Arsenal continue to manage his treatment.
“The injury means he will not be ready to play for this training camp,” Norway doctor Ola Sand confirmed. “We are in close contact with the medical support team at Arsenal , who will be responsible for the treatment going forward.”
The announcement follows a run of injury problems for Ødegaard this season. His withdrawal from the West Ham game was his third consecutive Premier League start in which he had to leave the pitch injured, after a shoulder problem curtailed his previous two starts.
Manager Ståle Solbakken said the early clarification allowed the squad to prepare. “We are of course sorry for this on our own behalf and on Martin’s behalf. Fortunately, the clarification regarding this comes so early, giving us plenty of time to prepare those who will play the match on Saturday.”
Arsenal have not provided details on the severity of Ødegaard’s knee problem, leaving the club and supporters without a clear recovery timeline. That uncertainty will determine whether the absence is measured in weeks or stretches into months.
At present his availability for Arsenal’s trip to Fulham on Oct. 18 is in serious doubt, as is the visit from Atlético Madrid in the Champions League three days later. Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion are also on Arsenal’s schedule before the end of October.
If the layoff extends into November, Ødegaard could miss further fixtures, including games against Burnley, SK Slavia Prague and Sunderland before the next international break.
Arsenal
The Ten Summer Signings Who Have Mattered Most Early in 2025/26
After a record £3.19 billion summer, these ten signings have reshaped Premier League starts. so far.
Premier League clubs combined to spend a record £3.19 billion during the 2025 summer window, and a number of arrivals have already influenced the opening months of the 2025/26 season.
Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony arrived from Bournemouth for £8 million and has become a central outlet in Scott Parker’s attack. The former Arsenal academy player has started both as part of a front two and out wide, and his four league goals currently lead Burnley’s scoring chart.
On Tyneside, the German forward has settled quickly. With Yoane Wissa nursing a knee injury, Woltemade has started up front and brought an immediate return of three league goals in four games, one of which included an extraordinary penalty. His unusual frame and aerial improvement have been noted by supporters.
West Ham’s recruitment has offered hope under Nuno Espírito Santo. El Hadji Malick Diouf, signed from Slavia Prague, has impressed as a one-on-one defender who delivers a dangerous cross from the left. He remains an up-and-down full back with clear potential.
Tijjani Reijnders produced an outstanding Premier League debut at Molineux and has since provided moments of quality, including the assist for Erling Haaland against Arsenal in September.
Martín Zubimendi was an early target for Mikel Arteta and has gradually displayed his class in the holding role. After a slow debut, he has shown his passing range and even contributed a memorable goal against Nottingham Forest.
Hugo Ekitiké has been arguably the most convincing of Liverpool’s summer recruits. The former Eintracht Frankfurt forward scored on his opening games against Bournemouth and Newcastle and has shown a willingness to drop in and combine, even if his league scoring has slowed in recent fixtures.
João Palhinha’s loan at Tottenham has been a robust addition. Thomas Frank leans on him heavily and the Portuguese midfielder leads Spurs with just over five combined tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.
Sunderland’s Robin Roefs arrived from NEC Nijmegen, took the No.1 spot in preseason and has been a reliable shot-stopper. Only Dean Henderson has prevented more goals, and Roefs ranks fourth for success when attempting to claim the high ball.
Finally, Jack Grealish’s loan to Everton has begun well. He is joint-top of the assist charts and produced a last-gasp finish to end Crystal Palace’s 18-game unbeaten run before the international break.
Arsenal
Gyökeres Criticised After Quiet Display in Sweden’s 2–0 Loss to Switzerland
Viktor Gyökeres drew sharp criticism after a subdued 2-0 defeat by Switzerland and went without a shot.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres came in for heavy criticism after Sweden’s 2–0 defeat to Switzerland on Friday night. He started alongside Liverpool striker Alexander Isak, but neither forward managed to break down a compact Swiss defence.
Gyökeres was particularly ineffectual in attack, registering no shots on target and an expected goals total of just 0.08. Domestic outlets were blunt in their assessments after the final whistle.
Expressen were particularly critical and awarded him a 1/5 rating. They wrote: “Thundered away from deep—from minute one,” they wrote. “Viktor Gyökeres looked lively. Then he got tired. And heavy. The number of errors increased with it. And overall, it can only be said that Gyökeres was one of the absolute weakest players on the field.” Fotbollskanalen also expressed disappointment: “Sweden needed Gyökeres at the top of his game in the important World Cup qualifying match. But he didn’t get it in crucial situations.” Svenska Fans handed another 1/5 and added: “His form has been waning lately. I don’t really know what’s happened, but he doesn’t seem to really believe it right now. It feels so resigned and awkward.”
The reaction will sharpen focus on Gyökeres’s form with Arsenal. He has made a solid start to his Arsenal career, but has hardly terrorised Premier League defences. He has scored just three for the Gunners to date, those efforts coming in routine home wins over Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.
Friday’s display will raise questions about confidence and consistency at international level, and supporters will expect a response from Gyökeres as the season progresses. For now, the coverage in Sweden suggests he must recover his best form to answer critics and provide the cutting edge his national team required in the World Cup qualifying match.
Arsenal
Zubimendi: Arsenal’s Dressing Room Blamed Injuries for Title Shortcomings
Zubimendi: Arsenal blamed injuries for past title failures; summer signings aimed to add more depth.
Martín Zubimendi has set out the dressing room view on why Arsenal fell short in recent title races: injuries. The midfielder, who joined from Real Sociedad this summer, said team-mates made clear that the squad repeatedly unravelled when key players were sidelined.
Adding depth across the squad was a stated summer priority and Arsenal recruited heavily. Zubimendi arrived from Real Sociedad alongside Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapié, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Nørgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga. The signings were intended to ensure the club could cope when injuries occurred.
“From what teammates have said to me, the problem was the injuries, that when someone got injured, the team came undone,” Zubimendi told The Guardian. “This year the club has invested a lot in having two players in every position.”
Zubimendi’s move to the Premier League came later than many expected. His arrival this summer followed a season in which he was a standout performer for Sociedad in 2024, and it came 12 months later than most anticipated. He had been close to joining Arne Slot’s Liverpool before withdrawing from talks, and Real Madrid also expressed interest, but it was Arsenal who ultimately secured his signature.
His decision was influenced by the timing of any proposal and by Arsenal’s project. “When any proposal comes, the first question has to be whether to stay at la Real,” he continued. “And it wasn’t the right moment [to go]. I stayed and it was a hard season but I learned a lot. I wanted to step forward, take that weight after others went.
“I had watched Arsenal and I liked everything I saw, in terms of passion, youth, the feeling you got watching them. And when Mikel Arteta called me… Well, if you’ve ever spoken to him you’ll know that he can be very convincing.
“He’s mad about football, crazy about having everything under control, trying to get something from every little detail. He’s very clear on everything and the proposal he had was the best for me.”
The messages from Zubimendi underline why Arsenal prioritised squad depth in the transfer window and why the club believes redundancy across positions will be key in the 2025/26 campaign.
