Mikel Arteta has claimed that we should expect to see much more of Martin Odegaard as this season runs on, and hints that we could see him stay at Arsenal beyond the summer.
The Norwegian midfielder has started in each of our last three matches in all competitions, and has already showed glimpses of his exceptional talent.
While Odegaard is yet to be credited with an assist or goal from his three outings, he has played a key role in the build-up, and his pass to Cedric Soares was the key for Saka’s goal on Thursday against Benfica.
There was definitely question marks on what he could bring to Arsenal when he joined, and fears that Emile Smith Rowe’s minutes could suffer with his arrival, and while those still remain somewhat, the deal does look more positive at present.
There is even more reason to be happy about his presence in North London with the manager hinting that he could well stay on at the club beyond the summer, despite no option to extend or buy having been included in his initial deal.
“We have Martin for a few months from Real Madrid and first of all we have to maximise this time with him to try to bring to the team all the qualities he has,” the Spaniard 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.”
Arteta later states that Odegaard is likely to play more prominently as the season runs on.
“On the pitch he is showing a lot of character and a lot of intelligence,” Arteta added. “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.”
Do we believe that Odegaard could join the club permanently in the future?
Patrick