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Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey picked up a knock during the warm-up ahead of Ghana’s friendly 3-0 defeat against Brazil on Friday night (September 23), Metro has reported.
The Gunners midfielder was named in Ghana’s playing XI against the Selecao but had to be withdrawn from the line-up only a few minutes prior to kickoff. Although the Black Stars are yet to disclose the nature or severity of the injury, the knock is certain to make Arsenal anxious.
The north London outfit are set to go up against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League on October 1. Without Partey, who impressed in Sunday’s (September 18) 3-0 win over Brentford, Mikel Arteta’s side could struggle to play their best football.
Partey has already missed three games this season (across competitions) due to a knee injury. His latest setback could see him miss a few more games for the current Premier League leaders.
Since joining from Atletico Madrid in July 2020 (€50.4 million), the Ghanaian midfielder has missed a whopping 36 matches for the Emirates outfit due to various injuries (via Transfermarkt).
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard could act as Norway’s ‘fourth coach’ in Nations League
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who missed the Londoners’ win over Brentford with a calf injury, joined up with the Norway squad earlier this week. Coach Stale Solbakken confirmed that the attacking midfielder was not fully fit, but suggested that he could be involved in Norway’s upcoming Nations League clashes in a coaching role.
He said in a press conference (via Metro):
“We are in regular dialogue with him and [Mikel] Arteta and Arsenal’s health sector, as it is called in Danish. Nothing has been decided there, so there is still hope.
“He’s not doing well now. Now it’s a matter of getting a final decision on whether he can be in both or one game. We’ll certainly see him in Norway, either as a player or a ‘fourth coach’. It means a lot to have him.”
Norway will take on UEFA Nations League League B Group 4 rivals Slovenia on Saturday evening (September 24) before hosting Serbia on Tuesday (September 27).
