'The perfect captain': Kai Havertz shares what Martin Odegaard has been doing behind the scenes at Arsenal despite injury
Today at 01:15 AM
Arsenal will look to build on the solid foundations they’ve laid this season when they host Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
The Gunners are yet to lose in all competitions this term and successfully navigated a very tricky run of games after the international break.
Now, Mikel Arteta's charges will look to overcome a Foxes side that has drawn three league games this season, though they're yet to win in the top flight.
Arsenal are sadly having to do so without Martin Odegaard, who is currently on the sidelines after getting injured on international duty earlier this month.
Arteta provided a bit of an update on the captain’s injury ahead of the Atalanta game, saying “it's something quite significant so we're going to lose him for a while."
Despite his injury, Odegaard continues to be active behind the scenes at Arsenal, deeming Kai Havertz to call him “the perfect captain” for the Gunners.
Kai Havertz says Martin Odegaard is speaking to Arsenal players every day
Havertz, speaking to Sky Sports, revealed that Odegaard is coming in every day at London Colney, taking part in meetings and speaking to the players.
The Germany international also said Odegaard speaks a lot to players and is “there for everyone” on and off the pitch.
"I don't know how long he is injured now, maybe two weeks, but every day he's here, every day he's in the meetings and speaks to us,” said Havertz.
“I think he's the perfect captain for a team like us where we have so many young players and players who can progress. He's there for everyone, not only off the pitch.
“To be honest, before I came to Arsenal, I didn't think he would speak so much in the dressing room and stuff like that, but he speaks a lot and in the dressing room before the game, stuff like that.
“He is also there on the pitch when things are not going your way. You need someone to step up."
How long could Odegaard be out for?
When speaking on ESPN UK's YouTube channel, Craig Burley – who suffered a similar injury to that of Odegaard – suggested the Arsenal captain could be out for months.
"'By the sound of this, the sort of 3 weeks, 2 to 3 weeks is out of the window,” he said last week. “This now sounds like you know it could be doubled up.
"And my experience of like most players, I think it's difficult to find a player who's played for a decade plus that's not rolled their ankles.
"And it's tough to come back in 2 or 3 weeks from something like that; sometimes it's a couple of months, sometimes it's longer."
