Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal is still keen on signing Martin Odegaard even though they have been looking at alternative targets.
The Norway captain spent the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid.
He was one of the Gunners’ best players during that stint at the club and they want him to join them permanently now.
The Gunners remain keen on bringing him back to the Emirates and would pounce if there is a slight chance that he could be sold.
They have looked at signing the likes of Manuel Locatelli and Emi Buendia this summer as an alternative to him.
Romano says even though Mikel Arteta’s side is looking at other targets, Odegaard remains their top priority.
He even claims that if they have the slightest chance of getting him, they will use that to their advantage.
Speaking on the Don Robbie YouTube channel, Romano said when asked if Odegaard is wanted by Arsenal more than previous transfer target Emi Buendia: “More than Buendia, yes.
“I’m told that even if they have a 1% chance to sign Odegaard, they want to continue [negotiating with Real Madrid] and to try and sign Odegaard on a permanent deal.
“But at the moment, the situation with Real Madrid is they are still saying ‘no he’s not leaving the club’. So let’s see if Ancelotti will continue with this position or maybe it will change.”
Madrid has a new manager in Carlo Ancelotti and the Gunners will hope he doesn’t have Odegaard in his plans.
If the reason we aren’t going for Bissouma is because we are waiting for Odergaard, then this bunch haven’t a clue. I for one are not excited by the prospect of Odergaard coming back, WHAT THE HELL DID HE DO?
We already have a better bissouma in partey. There’s no real urgency to have both, especially at the price bissouma will come in at. As for odegaard, seems you already made up your mind. The guy spent just 6 months with us and was very good 2/3 of the time, in a league he had never played in. Now extrapolate that over a season, if he does come. I’m sure we won’t regret his signing.
You didn’t answer the question posed, What did he do in that 6 months?
It is obvious that MA and Edu do not know what type of players we really need to move forward as a club, what a shame. This is an act of inexperience on the part of the two of them. The owner of our once upon a time great club is a coward, wicked, and self centre to ignore the feelings of the fans.
I am getting tired of this conttant torrent of drivel by so many young and self entitled fans towards both Arteta and EDU.
I say this as a fan who also would prefer a world proven name as our manager But as a realist, unlike the self entited younger fans, I know that we will have MA around for some time yet and this constant overload of carp and criticism, some seval times each day by well known names on here, is harmful to the club I love.
I wish they would stop, engage their brain, see the futility of their quest while Kroenke remains and see the unfair pressure it all adds to a manager trying his best under almost impossible and unfair fan pressure. Supporters should support. The clue is in the word “SUPPORTER” itself. Nuff said!
jon, when are Arteta and Edu going to do anything to instill confidence?
Like you I am a supporter of 59 years standing and I am concerned about the apparent inability to rectify known deficiencies.
ozzie, I believe they have already done much to instill confidence in ONE important respect. Namely that coasters and rotten apples are now being actively removed. Unlike some fans, I do not underestimate the vital importance of them fully succeeding in THAT task , as well as of course many others, about which the jury is still out in many ways.
I freely admit that MA has made far more errors than I once hoped and I would, in an ideal world – but which we do not have and will not have while Kroenke remains – prefer a world famous name as manager.
But I live in the world as it is, not as I would wish it to be So do we all in fact but so many choose not to realise that fact!
I’m far from a brain-dead entitled miscreant Jon, so I can only hope you’re not aiming your all-too-familiar barbs in my general direction…just because you’re desperately trying to convince yourself and others that the best path forward, at least for those who don’t prescribe to your peculiar form of quasi-acceptance, is to shut-up and support this flailing club unconditionally…that’s an unacceptable notion for this longtime supporter…not to mention, I find it more than a little ironic that the message you’re currently peddling is very similar to the one that a significant amount of supporters were propagating for several years when it was clear that our once great manager had lost the plot
TRVL, unless you, unusually, consider yourself young, albeit with the tag “long time supporter” then plainly you are not included in my phrase ” young AND self entitled fans”!
Whether you are merely “self entitled” however, I leave you to decide for yourself.
Bravo @jon fox. You just hit the nail on the head my man. I totally 2nd the above statement. If we got rid of arteta, which coach would we bring in? Guttuso ? there are none!
so wrong Indy, Gasperini is the perfect replacement considering our desire to get the most our of players, compete for European spots and play attractive football…just check out what h’s accomplished in his 5 years at Atalanta
The arsenal fans here would have you believe the sky is falling because Buendia almighty isn’t a priority target. The coach want Odegaard, and whether you favor it or not, he did impress when he was here. suck it up. I want Messi too, but you don’t see me sulking because he’s not a priority.
Odegaard impressed? Just like how ceballos impressed in his first season? I am really starting to hate anything related to this club from the owner to the fans.. 25 years of support going down the drain
He didn’t impress me! Nice footballer but not in the game enough and didn’t produce much.
I don’t see a queue at Real Madrid for him from BIG clubs.
This love affair between Arteta and “Eau De Gaard”, Is it a Bromance?
I worry the dynamic duo are so desperate to get him they might well pay over the odds!
Worse, If Arsenal keep chasing him, they may just find all the other options have gone when they finally look somewhere else.
I don’t blame our people looking for Odegaard. The guy wants to stay; he has the right attitude; he is young and skillful with his career just coming on.
And the devil you know……
I have a feeling they will get him, if not outright, then for another loan period.
I don’t mind him at all.
I agree, CorporateMan; however Arsenal can’t put all their eggs in the Odegaard basket and should have alternatives. Matheus Pereira from West Bromwich Albion has excellent statistics, is EPL proven and is available at a lower transfer fee.
The problem with Odegard is he’s a ozil/Lemar type of player:he don,t score a lot of goals despite having incredible skills…..Smith Row is ,by the look of things,similar….And don’t forget we do have Willock coming back on a high……
ESR and Willock for me by miles over the “nice” Odergaard. ESR showed game after game Arteta had got the shout on Odergaard over ESR wrong, after Arteta had to play ESR due to Odergaard being out for a few games. If we can get Odergaard for 20 to 25 mil, why not? But other than that far too expensive and better players available than him for similar price.