Arsenal earn potential Martin Odegaard transfer boost at Real Madrid

Arsenal Can Take Advantage of Luka Modric Extension

Modric is a footballing icon. A quite magnificent footballer who when his decade of service in the Spanish capital is up will leave with at least four Champions League titles and two La Liga crowns, among numerous other accolades.

He isn’t getting any younger at 35, but this is someone who racked up the fourth most minutes of any player at the club last season. He will play again, under whichever manager it may be. Modric won’t have penned fresh terms without confirmation of that.

As for the other two, Casemiro and Kroos also fall under the ‘undroppable’ tag. There is nothing to suggest that trio will be broken up apart from occasional rotation.

Where Odegaard fits into that is as a substitute. Who does he dislodge?

As is the case, however, it’s Madrid’s call on his future. If they block any move out that’s their decision, and if they want to out-price Arsenal then they will. Odegaard will have other suitors.

Arsenal have to push for another 12-month loan. It can be the ideal scenario, even if this club needs to be moving away from short-term deals. They can guarantee the minutes Odegaard will have in north London, thus Madrid could be tempted to succumb to the idea of their player being somewhere he feels comfortable and happy, developing as he goes and then returning to take Modric’s place in the team.

There are numerous variables to consider for this to happen: new manager’s wishes, player’s intentions, Madrid’s financial situation, Arsenal’s budget and just how convincing they can be.

If Odegaard has a storming full season with the Gunners his value won’t drop despite having just a year left on his deal, and if he helps push Arteta’s side into the Champions League then his temporary club are in a stronger position to make the move permanent.

Odegaard’s pathway into the Madrid side isn’t laid out in front of him. It will require toppling a superb trio, an unenviable task they he may choose to take on, one that could leave him sitting on the bench once more.

In every regard, Arsenal aren’t in the strongest position. They won’t have the money other clubs possess and even with Modric’s extension they’re relying on Odegaard pushing for a return to a club without European football. Despite all that, however, his place in the Madrid starting lineup next season is under serious threat. It’s a situation to take advantage of.