It has been stated many times that Mikel Arteta’s prime target for summer was to persuade Martin Odegaard to return to the Emirates on loan again next season. As he told Arsenal.com: “We have a very clear and strong opinion on what we’d like to do.
“He’s not our player, we will have discussions in the next few weeks. We respect he’s a Real Madrid player and will have those communications.
“We’ve tried to make everything that we could to get Martin performing for the team, which I think he’s done, and he’s adapted really well to our way of playing and our football club.
“Hopefully, we have given him the hope and the feeling that this could be a good place for him here.”
But that hope is apparently diminishing every day now that Carlo Ancelotti, who has seen Odegaard’s performances first-hand this season, has now been named as the new coach at Real Madrid.
He mentioned Odegaard in his thoughts on his appointment, and this week it wa revealed that Madrid are giving the youngster a new improved contract.
David Ornstein has now reported in the Athletic that his sources are telling him the Norwegian is set to remain at the Bernabeau, and Arsenal chances have “reduced substantially”.
So, Mikel’s job in the transfer window is getting tougher every day, after losing out on Buendia as well, he will have to move on to Plan C or Plan D to get the right man for the Gunners…
Why is he a top target in the first place? SMH!
Agreed
Another Ceballos incoming
A much more expensive ceballos.. Many players are better than him and much cheaper!
Happy he is not coming to us. Take his best two games away and the body of his work becomes distinctly average.
Take the best two games of ESR or Saka away and you still have many good performances left.
We need players who can perform at or near their best every game.
WE MUST FORGET ODEGAARD, as it is clear he will not be coming, due to Kroenke and his meanness. TBH, I am not much struck on him, though it seems that MA is.
He had only two quality games with us and several forgettable ones, which does not strike me as a sound basis to pay the sort of money RM will demand. When you have only peanuts to spend , as we have, then you cannot blow it all on one in and out type player. So I am glad we will NOT be getting Odegaard.
Now move fast and buy our own CAM if we can’t get Odegaard back.
We need an attacking midfielder and a Left back.
We appear to have over invested too much energy, effort etc on a loss cause.
Let’s move forward
Not a top target for me, totally underwhelming.
Perreira of WBA would be the best option. Has got PL experience, played very well in a poor team and is withing Arsenal’s budget.