BEVERLY HILLS, January 25, (THEWILL) – English Premier League side Arsenal have concluded arrangements and reached an agreement with La Liga champions Real Madrid to sign Martin Odegaard on loan until the end of the season, based on reports in the English media.
Odegaard will be Arsenal’s second signing in the January transfer window after they stealthily brought Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan to the Emirates in a move that was shrouded in secrecy until the public announcement. This move also makes Odegaard Arsenal’s second loanee from Real Madrid this season, with fellow midfielder Dani Ceballos already starring for the Gunners.
The 22-year-old is expected to arrive in London later on Sunday while a Monday medical has been arranged. Because Odegaard has an elite sportsperson exemption according to England’s health and safety regulations, he will not have to isolate before joining the squad, as long as he returns a negative test for the coronavirus.
His arrival plugs a gap in the Arsenal creative midfield which, in the confirmed absence of a player like Mesut Ozil, Arsenal needed filling. The north London outfit had been shopping for a playmaker in that area and were linked with several names around Europe as RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai, Norwich’s Emi Buendia and Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Brandt.
Arsenal’s Academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe, who had so far picked up that responsibility for the Gunners in a stretch of impressive performances that helped to rejuvenate their season, remains very highly regarded at the club, but is still thought of as a developing talent. Odegaard will provide back-up and competition, with the Norwegian coming in as a more established attacking midfielder.
Considerations were given to Smith Rowe’s injury history, his stamina and age to spare the player’s shoulders from carrying the entire creative burden alone. Odegaard’s arrival therefore furnishes the Gunners with some extra depth in the middle of the park.
For Odegaard, the move is timely as it allows him the opportunity for more game time. The Norwegian joined Real in 2016 amid widespread media attention as a 16-year-old dubbed “Norway’s Messi” but has so far struggled to become a first-team regular.
A 2019 impressive loan spell at the Spanish club Real Sociedad later and Odegaard was recalled to Madrid. Initially, it seemed he had successfully turned a corner in his Real career, earning starting positions in the first two La Liga games of the season. However, that was not sustained as he dropped down the pecking order with only one league game start since November.
There were other options across Europe with openings for Odegaard to fit into. For another loan deal, Real Sociedad were the other strongest contender. It helped that they were situated in the same country and displacement of family could be better handled in Spain than abroad.
However, while the negotiations were still going on and Sociedad’s position was stronger than Arsenal’s, Arteta placed a call to Odegaard and spoke with the player directly. The call completely changed the negotiation with Arsenal immediatly becoming Odegaard’s priority destination quickly leading to the final agreements.
While Zinedine Zidane signed off on the move as manager, Odegaard was convinced by the involvement of Ceballos and the assurances he got from Arteta that he will be part of the Arsenal project to return to Champions League places and he can be sure of game time with a glorious chance to show his prodigious talents in the EPL.
There is ample evidence from his stats from last season of his elite attacking output at Real Sociedad. The Norwegian was consistently rated highly with good scores on shot creation and ball progression. These lend credence to the fact that he can be a creative force at a high level and it is sobering that Zidane did not play him often.
He comes to north London at 22, an age profile consistently favoured by the handlers at the Emirates whose ageing squad is being gradually phased out for a new generation of bonding between old and new.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
