Arsenal Director Aims Dig at Real Madrid Over Martin Odegaard

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Odegaard, with just 11 first-team appearances at Madrid, spent over half of his six years on loan. Arsenal secured the Norwegian star on loan in January 2021, turning it into a permanent deal for £30m plus add-ons a few months later.

Becoming club captain at 23 in the summer of 2022, Odegaard played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s resurgence in the Premier League.

Edu, overseeing football operations, emphasized the strategy of signing young players, highlighting Odegaard as a fitting profile. Edu stated, “He came on loan, and then we decided to buy him.

He is now one of our captains, enjoying himself, and one of the recognizable faces of our team.”In January 2015, Madrid won a transfer battle as Odegaard, aged just 16, chose them over clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus, and Bayern Munich.

Despite liking Lionel Messi and considering Barcelona, a transfer ban in 2015 prevented that option.

In late 2014, Odegaard and his father visited top clubs, training with Manchester City, Liverpool, and Bayern. He had earlier trained with Manchester United’s academy and dined with Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Despite not eating chips to avoid judgment, he ultimately chose Madrid, unveiling his decision to global media.

As part of the proposed agreement, Odegaard immediately trained with Madrid’s first team. However, despite being with stars like Ronaldo and Bale during the week, he played weekend games with the B team, leaving him in a challenging situation of not fully belonging to either squad.

At just 16, Odegaard made his senior debut in the 2014/15 season, replacing Ronaldo. Despite his potential, he faced tough competition and played no first-team games in 2015/16. With loans to Vitesse Arnhem and Real Sociedad, he found his stride. Returning to Madrid in 2020/21, Odegaard’s limited appearances led to frustration, resulting in his move to Arsenal.

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