Arsenal: Martin Odegaard signing solves creative chasm

Getting Martin Odegaard back from Real Madrid is vital for Arsenal as they’ve spent the summer eyeing creative reinforcements, and now look like signing their number one target for less than Emi Buendia, who a bid was lodged for back at the very early workings of the transfer window. This move edges ever closer.

While he is not Julian Brandt, Houssem Aouar, Bernardo Silva or James Maddison – some of the names linked throughout the summer – the Norwegian international is a formidable talent in his own right. While Carlo Ancelotti is simply using him to fund his own project at Real Madrid at this point, this should not intimate that Odegaard doesn’t have otherworldly ability when in his stride.

He looked that way for the Gunners at the end of last season, and so it should be of little wonder why Mikel Arteta wanted him back – especially after the season opening loss to Brentford.

What business do Arsenal have left to do before the summer window is closed? Who might stay and who still might go? What impact will young Odegaard have on the rest of his talented teammates, both young and old?

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Arsenal: Martin Odegaard signing solves creative chasm as Mikel Arteta closes in on £30m transfer for Real Madrid midfielder as summer window deadline draws nearer

The attacking midfielder should slot back into the No. 10 spot on the pitch and act as a proper engine of creativity for the club and its dynamic young players. Odegaard will be tasked with feeding and incorporating the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette (if either are still with the team) Gabriel Martinelli, Nicolas Pepe and the like.

While those are impressive talents and can cause damage when they’re on form, far too often they are not incorporated in productive ways. That’s precisely why Odegaard has been so coveted by Arteta. In 22 games last season across all competitions, the 22-year-old recorded two goals and two assists respectively; while those numbers do not jump off the page at you, they do demonstrate that the player has lots to contribute to a club that will simply let him play. He recorded more key passes (2.1) per 90 than any other Arsenal player last season and his xA per 90 also topped that of any of his teammates.

Real Madrid have seemingly never been that team for him, yet Arsenal and Arteta are more than happy to let him ‘drive their car’ to use a turn of phrase. He will have to drive it well, for the expectations remain sky high in north London, despite lower practical developments over the last number of seasons.

The FA Cup and Community Shield were welcome additions, and I’m by no means downplaying them, but Arsenal supporters and players alike simply have a higher standard for the badge than that at this point.

I think that the player will have the desired effect on the rest of the team, and alongside an eventually healthy Thomas Partey, Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, could form an imposing middle of the pitch. Getting those aforementioned attacking players involved into the match will be objective number one for him day-in-and-out, and if he can accomplish this, the team will be clicking well enough to earn him substantial praise – and eventually better wages to boot.

Will he get any more help though? That is another question worth discussing as this summer window winds down. What will be next?

Continued…