Much to the rejoice of the Arsenal fans, Mikel Arteta finally seems to have settled on his options in attack. Real Madrid are reportedly close to a deal with Arsenal for the permanent transfer of Martin Ødegaard, according to the Athletic UK’s David Ornstein.
Ornstein reports that while it is not quite a done deal yet, it is indeed heading in that direction. He claims that the finished deal would be for around €35 million. As the 22-year-old did not train with the Real squad on Tuesday, Ødegaard could feature for the Gunners as soon as against Chelsea this weekend. Ornstein does concede there is still work to be done to fully complete the transfer.
Ødegaard’s Uncertain Future In Recent Years
The Norwegian joined the Spanish giants in 2015 with a lot of expectations. The midfielder had the world on his feet with the reputation he had gathered at the age of just 16. However, Ødegaard has bounced around on loan for several seasons since joining the super club. He’s featured in just 11 matches for Real Madrid across all competitions. Most of those came after his loan recall from Real Sociedad at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Still relatively young, Ødegaard had subdued performances in the Netherlands with the clubs like Heerenveen and Vitesse. His best spell in Spain came during his loan stay at Real Sociedad.
How Would Ødegaard Feature At Arsenal
This will be Martin Ødegaard’s second spell at Arsenal if the clubs agree on any deal. However, this spell looks like a permanent one that will give him a certain clarity about the future. He will hold the record of the most expensive transfer of a Norwegian, breaking the previous record held by Sander Berge.
Ødegaard previously was with the Gunners since January 2021 on loan for 6 months. He provided some memorable moments to the supporters with his goals against Olympiacos and bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur. His passing and dribbling in the final third will be beneficial for the subpar Arsenal attack.
His arrival will also help Emile Smith Rowe, who will be able to play without that chip on his shoulder. Smith Rowe and Ødegaard linked up very nicely during their short spell together. They will be hoping for the same as the Gunners prepare to welcome European Champions Chelsea in their second league match.
