Arsenal: Martin Odegaard transfer fee revealed as Haaland helps

Arsenal will scale mountains to sign Martin Odegaard in the summer transfer window, even if they’re currently only armed with two toothpicks. On their trek, however, they’ve come across a friendly Norwegian giant by the name of Erling Haaland, who’s kindly offered a helping hand.

Back in December, the names of the aforementioned duo would only have cropped up in conversation with Arsenal if someone was building their ultimate FIFA lineup: crafted in a laboratory Erling Haaland? Real Madrid wonderkid Martin Odegaard? Don’t be silly.

And here we are now with one of the pair integral to everything positive about Arsenal right now and the other set to have a major say in whether or not that positivity can be extended beyond the summer.

Almost daily we’re fed developments stating one way or the other that Odgeaard wants to stay at Real Madrid or that Zinedine Zidane wants him out, and so on and so forth. All sorts.

Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard transfer hopes hugely aided by Erling Haaland transfer situation at Real Madrid

In the bid to recapture the Galacticos era – kind of – the desires of one of football’s titans is set to present Arsenal with the opportunity they desire. The chance to appease the supporters who’re pining for long-term MØ11 stay will be theirs as Madrid push the boat out to sign Haaland.

Worth noting is that Los Blancos are £767m in the red. That hasn’t stopped them meeting with Haaland’s father and agent to discuss a potential deal, one they hope to finance by selling multiple assets. As per The Times, these include all their on loan players – which means Odegaard.

Now, while this is a considerable boost to Mikel Arteta, it accounts for nothing if the Gunners can’t cough up the dough.

Rumours of Odegaard’s asking price range from £30m-£55m – with the latest figure hovering at £35m – fees that would require significant Kroenke pocket dipping or multiple player sales to finance. Even still, a lack of European football would plunge that further into doubt.

The ball is in Madrid’s court, but Arsenal are in a healthy position with Odegaard wanting to stay and his employers needing to sell. That doesn’t help Arsenal financially, however, and they’d still prefer a loan, but the pieces are slowly falling into place – their destiny is in their hands, etc, etc.

Equally, if come the summer Arsenal can’t afford any more than a loan move, Madrid’s urgency to sell will leave the club straggling behind. It comes as little surprise that ‘half of Europe’ are keeping tabs on Odegaard with a view to signing him permanently. These being clubs with actual money, and actual certainties of European football.

Despite being plainly obvious, the transformative nature of securing Champions League football grows increasingly clearer by the day.