Martin Odegaard has agreed to join Arsenal on loan from Real Madrid following talks with Mikel Arteta and the deal should be announced shortly, according to various reports today.
Arteta is in the market for an attacking midfielder this month as Arsenal have lacked creativity at times during the opening months of the season and Odegaard emerged as a prime target earlier this week when Sky Sports reported the Gunners had made an approach to Madrid.
Real Sociedad were still believed to be well positioned to re-sign the 22-year-old after he enjoyed an excellent year on loan at the Anoeta Stadium last season where he provided seven goals and nine assists in his 36 appearances.
However, Arsenal have been pushing hard to get a deal agreed after Edu instigated talks with the Spanish giants and Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that Odegaard has now decided to join the North Londoners over Real Sociedad.
Romano says the playmaker was persuaded to move to the Emirates following talks with Arteta and he claims Arsenal and Madrid are now finalising the ‘simple’ loan deal which is expected to be completed ‘in the coming hours’.
Martin Ødegaard has decided to join Arsenal over Real Sociedad White circleRed circle
The deal is expected to be completed in the coming hours. #AFC and Real Madrid are in contact to reach the agreement – Real want a ‘simple’ loan until June.
Arteta spoke directly with the player – key factor.
This news is also being reported widely in Spain with El Diario Vasco one of several outlets also claiming that Odegaard will join Arsenal on loan for the rest of the season while Marca says the deal could be announced shortly.
British media are also reporting that a deal is close as David Ornstein says the move is ‘90% complete’ while Football London claims Arsenal are on the verge of sealing the deal after Edu held talks with Odegaard’s father Hans and agent Bjorn Tore Kvarme. They also say Dani Ceballos helped convince the player to join him in north London but Arsenal won’t have any option to make the move permanent in the summer.
So it looks as though Arsenal are set to wrap-up a short-term loan for Odegaard and the Norwegian international should be an excellent addition to Arteta’s squad as he’s regarded as one of the best young playmakers in Spanish football.
He’s been unable to hold down a spot in Zinedine Zidane’s starting eleven this season so he wants to leave in search of regular first team football and he’ll provide support for Emile Smith Rowe if this proposed move to Arsenal is finalised.
