Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has Martin Odegaard transfer belief as Chelsea join race

Arsenal: Arteta lauds 'intelligent' Odegaard

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is confident the club are in pole position to sign Martin Odegaard, according to reports. The Norway international has impressed at the Emirates Stadium since his move from Real Madrid in January. But the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool could now sign him in the summer transfer window instead.

Arsenal lost Mesut Ozil in January, with the Germany international moving to Turkish giants Fenerbahce.

And they then moved to land Odegaard as a replacement, signing the playmaker from Real Madrid on loan until the end of the campaign.

The Norway international has started to come good for Arsenal in the short time since, boosting their chances of winning the Europa League and finishing in the Premier League top four.

As a result, Arteta is hoping to sign the 22-year-old permanently this summer.

Yet things have become complicated with Chelsea and Liverpool also joining the race for the Los Blancos star.

Despite that, however, the Daily Star say Arteta is confident that Arsenal remain in pole position to sign Odegaard permanently at the end of the season.

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And that’s because he feels the work he’s put in have made the player want to stay put at the Emirates Stadium and play a starring role in their future.

What may be a problem for the north London giants, however, is Real Madrid’s asking price.

The La Liga giants valued Odegaard at £30m upon letting him leave back in the New Year.

And Arsenal are fearful they may now demand closer to £50m instead as a result of his electrifying performances at the Emirates Stadium.

That may out Odegaard beyond their reach.

But what bodes well is recent comments made by the Norway international, who hailed Arteta as ‘fantastic’ and admitted he was enjoying his time with the club so far.

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“Very good,” Odegaard said.

“He is incredible. I have a lot to learn from him. I just need to ‘sharpen my ears’ and pay attention. He is fantastic.”

He was also coy on his future at Real Madrid, saying: “I haven’t thought about what’ll happen in summer.

“Deal with Arsenal is until the end of the season. We’ll see what happens this summer.

“I’ve said things before that I still stand by: ‘Stability’ and ‘development’ are key words.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright, meanwhile, has been impressed by Odegaard’s performances for the north London giants and believe he’d be worth signing permanently.

“Watching Odegaard play for Arsenal, I’m so happy and I’m so sad,” Wright said on Ringer FC’s Wrighty’s House podcast.

“Simply because when you look at Odegaard’s contribution, and I was thinking with this West Ham game, it’s going to be different, he’s got [Thomas] Soucek and [Declan] Rice.

“He’s going to be playing in that area where he has got some real ballers with him, and I said before the game, I want to see how he does, and not only does he excel, we go 3-nil down, and the man is literally just showing up.

“On the half-turn, his quick thinking, his passes, as soon as he gets it, he already knows what he’s doing.

“We have to find a way to sign him. I don’t know how it’s going to happen. He’s the one.

“For him to come to the Premier League, we’re talking about a guy who looks very slight but he doesn’t get himself in that traffic and trouble.

“He did a move the other day where he got the ball on his left foot and he’s coming back towards his own goal, then he turned sharply on his left foot and went back around West Ham’s box and passed it to the right.

“You’re thinking that’s the quality and composure Arsenal need.

“Arteta must be on the sideline thinking, ‘oh my god, this is what I need, this is the guy.’”

“His contract runs out in 2023 with Madrid, we’re going through a spell where there’s not a lot of money about, Madrid need money, if Zidane stays there can you see him putting Odegaard in his team?

“You’re thinking to yourself if he carries on playing like he is, because we’re looking at Modric and Kroos and they’re going to have to get replaced by someone at some stage now.

“Whether that’s Odegaard or they might sell Odegaard to finance getting somebody else. When you look at him, this is serious business with Odegaard, this is a player we need, and I don’t know how they’re going to do that.

“For me, I think £45 million to £50 million, even though we’re talking about someone who’s been on loan to Holland, Spain and now here, he’s played a handful of games but he looks so impressive.

“You have to pray, the Arsenal fanbase have to put it out into the ether, the energy and the good vibes, to make it happen because he is needed.”

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