Arsenal handed Martin Odegaard transfer blow by Real Madrid

Can Arsenal Still Sign Martin Odegaard?

Real Madrid want Erling Haaland. Real Madrid also want Kylian Mbappe. They won’t get both and their chances of signing just one of them grows increasingly difficult with outrageous fees, wages, bonuses and add-ons set to make the pair historic transfers in every sense.

If they are to finance either, they’ll need to sell.

There is an acceptance that they need to do so in the summer, but those available for transfer are not going to garner the kind of fees needed to finance such moves: Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Isco are free to leave, as too are Alvaro Odriozola, Dani Ceballos, Mariano Diaz and Luka Jovic. Most will either accrue nominal fees or none at all, with the freeing of wages the primary benefit there.

Odegaard is now ‘untouchable’ in their eyes, but so as not to miss out on one of the two most exciting players on the planet, it’s hard to see them turning their noses up at £35m. Of course, Luka Modric isn’t getting any younger and Isco isn’t in the picture, thus the need for a creator in midfield remains, so it’s an intriguing development.

From an Arsenal point of view, Arteta will have seen his blueprint for the future. Against Slavia Prague, he had Thomas Partey as the lone central midfielder with Ceballos and Smith Rowe as wandering No. 8s either side.

He, like supporters, will have imagined Odegaard on the right of that trio and Smith Rowe to the left, a ploy that wouldn’t work for every occasion but draws him closer to his preferred 4-3-3.

Get into the Champions League and Arsenal will go hell for leather to sign Odegaard permanently. Fail to do so and that shouldn’t be any different, albeit more likely to result in a loan move.