Alan Smith isn’t confident that Martin Odegaard will walk into the Arsenal starting XI and he has warned the Gunners to do their homework and avoid a Denis Suarez type of situation.
The Gunners have identified their creative midfield as a position that they need to strengthen in this transfer window.
Although Emile Smith Rowe has stepped up as a creative force for them these last few matches, they have been linked with a move for Odegaard.
The Norwegian is set to join them on loan from Real Madrid after he struggled for playing time in the Spanish capital.
Smith says the reason why Mikel Arteta is pursuing a deal for him is that the Spaniard wants an extra player in his midfield.
He then said that he isn’t expecting the former Real Sociedad loanee to walk straight into the Arsenal team.
The midfielder is still developing, and he hopes that he will not flop like Suarez did when he joined Arsenal in January of 2019.
The former Gunners striker told Stadium Astro when asked why Arteta is looking to bring in a creative playmaker:
“To have another option perhaps. I don’t think he’d walk into the team by any stretch.
“He’s had his problems developing at Real Madrid and the last thing Arsenal want is to get somebody in who can’t offer anything.
“You think back to Denis Suarez who came to the club and physically he just wasn’t ready and then he picked up injuries.
“It was a bit of an embarrassment in the end, so hopefully they will do their homework on Odegaard.
“He’s a young player that went to Real Madrid, and so much is expected of him, and as so often happens it doesn’t quite materialise like that.
“But they’ve been looking for more creativity. [Emile] Smith Rowe has provided that. They were linked to Christian Eriksen as well the other day. So it’s that kind of player that can make the difference against a deep-lying defence that’s defending in numbers.
“I wouldn’t be expecting him to start many games, somebody that would just dip in and out perhaps.
“But Arsenal have almost got one hand tied behind their back because financially they can’t throw money at it so they’ve got to be fairly creative in getting these loans in. Ceballos has been brought in from Real Madrid, they’ve got that relationship.
“Ceballos has done well during his time at the Emirates I think so hopefully Odegaard could come and he’s got a point to prove and he could add something to what they’ve got.”
I would agree with Smiffy, we should be very careful in more ways than one.
Good sense from AS as usual.
I have watched this guy play. He holds on to the ball for too long. I don’t think 6 months will be enough for him to adapt to the EPL. That said, he is a promising player. If there is no option to buy, it’s not a good deal. I hope he will surprise us and produce the required impact.