The manager of Arsenal football club, Mikel Arteta has described Martin Odegaard as a young leader who has a lot of intelligence. He said the 22-year-old Norwegian who joined the Premier League side on loan from Real Madrid on January 27, 2021, has quickly adapted to the system of the club.
Martin Odegaard is a product of the Real Madrid youth system. Since he gained promotion to the Real Madrid senior team on January 8, 2017, he has not been able to establish himself at the club. Hence, he is always sent on loan across clubs in Europe.
Before he came to Arsenal on a 6-month loan spell, he spent a season at Real Sociedad where he performed so well that his parent club had to come back to Madrid. However, he couldn’t break into the Madrid team in the first five months of the 2020-2021 season.
Due to his lack of games at Real Madrid, he decided to go on loan. At that point, Real Sociedad wanted him back but he chose to join Arsenal.
Since he joined the Premier League team, Martin Odegaard has managed to make three Premier League appearances and one Europa League appearance. Though the 22-year-old attacking midfielder is yet to score a goal or provide an assist in the league, Mikel Arteta seemed to be very impressed with his performance.
The youngster is known for his creativity in the midfield and his ability to make critical passes. In the few games the midfielder has played for Arsenal, he was given the number 10 role in Arsenal’s squad.
“He is a young leader,” Mikel Arteta said.
“On the pitch, he is showing a lot of character and a lot of intelligence. They are characteristics that a leader should have.
“He has been here a very short time but he has adapted very quickly. He is getting more and more respect from the players and the staff and his weight on the team will increase with every week.”
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal might consider extending Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard has less than four months to end his stay at Arsenal. He is expected to return to Real Madrid after his loan spell at the Premier League club.
Due to his performance so far this season, most Arsenal fans want the club to extend his loan spell or offer him a permanent contract.
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Arsenal could look at the contract of Odegaard at the end of the season.
“We have Martin for a few months from Real Madrid and first of all, we have to maximize this time with him to try to bring to the team all the qualities he has,” Mikel Arteta said.
“At the end of the season, we will sit together and decide where we can take that relationship forward. At the moment it doesn’t just depend on us.”
