Before Martin Odegaard joined Real Madrid as a teenager, Arsene Wenger admitted that he was anxiоus to sign him.
The current captain of the Gunners was considered a prodigy as he caught the interest of heavyweight teams in Europe with his debut for Stromsgodset at the age of 15.
After that, Odegaard trained with teams like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United until he decided to sign with the team that would best develop his clear skill.
To Wenger’s dismay, the Norway international was ultimately unable to resist the lure of joining Real Madrid and studying under his idol, Zinedine Zidane.
“Yes, I remember him (Odegaard) very well,” the renowned former Arsenal manager remarked in a chat with Freddie Ljungberg, one of his former players.
We did bаttle fiercely to win him over. I recall that Steve Morrow brought him into training with his father when I had him in a session.
His excellent vision, technical skill, and ease with elite players made him remind me of Fabregas.
Odegaard’s choice to sign with the Spanish powerhouses ultimately backfired because a string of managers failed to provide him consistent first team appearances.
After a string of loan transfers, he didn’t start to reach his full potential until a stint with Real Sociedad. He eventually signed a contract with Arsenal in January 2021, originally on loan.
Under the direction of Mikel Arteta, who gave the go-ahead to permanently relocate Odegaard to north London, the 25-year-old has emerged as one of the most creative midfielders in the Premier League.
Last year, Odegaard reaffirmed his devotion to Arsenal by agreeing to a long-term contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2027.
“Signing a new contract was a really easy decision for me for lots of reasons,” Odegaard stated in a statement at the time.
Basically, I want to be a part of what makes our club unique, which is what we are doing now. I can’t wait to see what this place has in store. I’ve discovered a location I can call home and where I can feel truly at ease.
Since I’ve been moving to different clubs since I was sixteen, my tale may be a little different. I’ve felt fantastic at Arsenal since day one, and this place is now unquestionably home.
I simply wаnted to express my gratitude to everyone of the club’s employees and, of course, our wonderful supporters. I’ll keep working tirelessly to make this group successful in the years to come.