Arsenal and Real Madrid make Martin Odegaard summer transfer decision

Arsenal have made a decision on the future of Martin Odegaard as the Real Madrid midfielder continues to impress following his six-month loan deal in January.

In need of providing cover for Emile Smith Rowe in the No. 10 slot, the Gunners pulled off one of their finer pieces of transfer business when the lured the Norwegian to north London on a deal until the end of the season.

At one stage the hottest property across Europe, every major club had their eyes set on signing the wonderkid, with Madrid wining the race for the Strømsgodset prodigy in 2015. Just 11 senior appearances three and a half seasons later and it became apparent Martin Odegaard was willing to move on once more.

A very left-field move as the likes of Christian Eriksen and Isco were being heavily linked, Odegaard was a real coup. Promised minutes upon his arrival despite the superb form of Emile Smith Rowe, Mikel Arteta has stayed true to his promise with the midfielder featuring ten times already in red and white.

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Arsenal and Real Madrid make Martin Odegaard summer transfer window decision

With each match played a telepathic understanding with his teammates grows, culminating in regularly improved displays to match. Adding goals to his game with two in his last two – including a thunderbolt against Olympiacos and a memorable North London Derby effort – any supporter previously smitten is now enveloped in a full-blown love affair.

Importantly, so too is Arteta.

Widely reported across the media, Arsenal are now keen on keeping hold of Odegaard at the Emirates Stadium next season. As far as surprises go, this isn’t one of them.

Sami Mokbel at the Daily Mail reveals that the club will enter discussions with Real Madrid at the end of the season either with an eye on signing the Norway captain permanently or on another loan deal, this time for the entirety of the campaign.

For the latter point, the strong relationship between both clubs saw a similar deal struck for Dani Ceballos, opening the door for another round of smooth negotiations come the end of the season.

As is to be the case for Arsenal with almost all of their deals, nothing can be determined as of yet…

Erling Haaland Could Help Arsenal Sign Martin Odegaard

This is just about the only way that Erling Haaland’s name will be uttered in the same breath as Arsenal‘s; indeed, Madrid’s desire to sign the sporting equivalent of Robocop will play in Arsenal’s favour.

Los Blancos, like so many clubs, are dealing with financial difficulties. Evidenced by their lack of signings in the previous summer, balancing the books and reaching a degree of monetary equilibrium became of paramount importance.

With their hopes of signing one of either Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, they’ll need money. Quite a lot of it.

To raise those finances, selling Odegaard constitutes a viable cash injection given his age, ability and the two years he’ll have left to run on his deal come the summer. Madrid will explore the option.

In theory it’s easy enough, but Arsenal are toying with the eventuality of playing no European football next season. None whatsoever. The cash injection from playing in the Europa League is minuscule in comparison to the Champions League, yet it’s distinctly better than, well, nothing at all. Still languishing in tenth place in the Premier League and with up to six more fixtures to play in the current Europa League if they are to win the competition, nothing is certain.

Plans for the summer are heavily dependent on how the final few months pan out, including who they can sell, who they can afford and who they can convince to join even without the allure of European competitions.

As for Odegaard, history is on Arsenal’s side if they do fail to finish the season strongly. He spent the whole of the last campaign with Real Sociedad, who played no part in Europe for the 2019/20 season. From everything he has said since joining, and clear from his on-pitch demeanour, enjoying his football at a club he states ‘feels like home’ appears to have tempted him already.

Should Arsenal Sign Martin Odegaard?

It’s right to have some reservations. Having only seen a handful of full appearances from Odegaard, and especially after scoring twice in two huge matches, there can be some snap judgements made. It’s hard not to.

Brought in as the Smith Rowe cover, it’s plain to see they’re different profiles. The win over Tottenham showed the opposite ends of their skill sets, as Smith Rowe ran beyond from a left half-space while Odegaard regularly dropped deep in the right channel where he could dictate proceedings. They boast so much in common, just as they don’t.

Odegaard is still adjusting to the way Arsenal play but with each match he progresses. The Sp*rs win was his best performance to date, as it was Smith Rowe’s, so any fears of them stunting each other’s development can be laid to rest. They can work together. They do work together.

https://twitter.com/goal/status/1370341299870650370

It hasn’t all been perfect for the Norwegian, though. He scored a cracker against Olympiacos but was largely sloppy on the ball for most of that first half, growing into that game just as he has his short Arsenal career to date.

He will only get better.

A delightful first touch that opens up every passing lane he could wish for is followed by a cutely measured weight of distribution. His shooting hasn’t been great – barring the obvious – with a few scuffed efforts in dangerous positions, yet he is making these well-timed late surges into the box that haven’t been seen at the Emirates since Aaron Ramsey.

Throw his superior vision into the mix and calm close control under pressure, and you’e got the inner, and outer, workings of an ideal technical operator.

Are there better options out there? There weren’t any in January and unless you’re willing to pay over the odds, or even capable of it in the first place, no standout candidates spring to mind.

Beyond the talent, however, he’s slotted into the team effortlessly and cuts the figure of a man who is loving his football and surroundings. He wants to stay and Arsenal should do everything within their power to grant him that wish.