Arsenal 'believe Martin Odegaard is open to staying' beyond his loan
Arsenal ‘believe Martin Odegaard is open to staying at the Emirates beyond his loan spell’ as Mikel Arteta looks to keep the £51m-rated Real Madrid midfielder after another ‘influential’ performance in draw with West Ham
- Martin Odegaard has impressed since joining Arsenal on loan back in January
- Club chiefs reportedly think he is open to extending his stay at the Emirates
- Real Madrid are yet to decide whether to sell the £51m-rated Norway midfielder
- Boss Mikel Arteta has been full of praise for Odegaard and wants him to stay
Arsenal chiefs believe loan star Martin Odegaard could be willing to extend his time at the Emirates beyond this season, according to The Times.
The Real Madrid midfielder joined the Gunners on a temporary deal in January and has impressed so far, scoring twice in 12 games for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Odegaard helped inspire Arsenal’s comeback in their 3-3 draw with West Ham on Sunday and the club are exploring ways in which they can keep him long-term.
Arsenal believe Martin Odegaard (right) is open to the idea of staying beyond this season
The Times claim that the Norway playmaker is open to the idea of remaining in north London, although Real are yet to decide whether to sell him.
Reports in Spain have suggested that the cash-strapped giants would demand around £51million for Odegaard, but they could also choose to loan him out again.
While a permanent deal could prove too expensive for Arsenal, who are also counting the financial cost of the coronavirus pandemic, a fresh loan deal could be an attractive option.
Odegaard is on loan from Real Madrid until the end of the season but could remain in London
Odegaard has been in impressive form since joining – stats courtesy of www.sofascore.com
The odds on Arsenal signing Odegaard plummeted with the bookmakers this weekend following his brilliant display at the London Stadium.
And Arteta made no attempt to hide his admiration for the 22-year-old in his post-match press conference, with fans desperate to keep him beyond this season.
When asked if Odegaard was a ‘leader’ in the dressing room, the Arsenal boss said: ‘Well, he’s showing that I think from week one.
‘The way he steps on the pitch, he always wants the ball, the way he commands the pressing. He’s been really influential.
Mikel Arteta, pictured with Odegaard in January, has been full of praise for the midfielder
‘I think we’ve all been a bit surprised because he looks really shy and humble, but when he steps on that pitch he’s a real character and he loves to play football.
‘I think he was very intelligent the way he read the game, the way he affected the game and again he showed how much he wanted to win.
‘When everyone was a little trembling he gave us that stability and that composure on the ball and he created chance after chance.
‘I love talented and creative players that all the time are willing to take the ball and make that happen, that they are mobile and as well hard working. He is one of them.’
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