Arsenal star Martin Odegaard thinks Gunners want him permanently – Zinedine Zidane is key

Arsenal: Arteta explains how he convinced Odegaard to join

Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard thinks the Gunners want to sign him permanently should the opportunity arise, according to reports. The Norway international joined the club on loan from Real Madrid back in the January transfer window. But Zinedine Zidane is key to his Bernabeu future.

Arsenal signed Odegaard after losing Mesut Ozil, who was allowed to join Turkish side Fenerbahce having fallen down Zinedine Zidane’s pecking order.

And though the Norway international is still finding his feet in English football, Eurosport detail his current stance.

It’s claimed Odgeaard feels Arsenal want to sign him permanently, despite only recently moving to the Emirates Stadium.

He believes the Gunners would like to snap him up if the opportunity presents itself and he’s open to that idea at the current moment in time.

However, Zidane is key to that happening.

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Odegaard doesn’t want to return to the Bernabeu if the Frenchman stays in charge, having been limited to just seven league appearances under him this term.

Zidane has failed to embrace youth at the club and Odegaard, it seems, isn’t convinced he’s the right manager to help him develop.

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The Frenchman could leave his post as manager at the end of the campaign should they continue to fall short.

They trail fierce rivals Atletico Madrid at the top of the table by 10 points and history suggests a failure to win La Liga could be the final nail in his coffin.

Real have axed managers for far less in the past.

And whether Zidane stays at the club, therefore boosting Arsenal’s chances of signing Odgeaard, remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Zidane recently opened up on Odgeaard and detailed what he told the youngster prior to his move away.

“[Odegaard] wanted to leave,” Zidane said.

“We have talked about it two or three times. He is a player who wants to play.

“It was the player’s demand [to leave]. I told him that he had to stay, fight, have peace of mind, because this is a long process.

“He’s a player who I asked for us to bring in [after spending last season on loan at Real Sociedad].

“It has not been the case and in the end it is everyone’s decision. I hope he is happy.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s former head of youth scouting Steve Morrow has opened up on previous interest in Odegaard during Arsene Wenger’s spell in charge.

“I first scouted him when he was 14 and was just amazed by his talent, his technical level and his intelligence for such a young player,” Morrow told The Times.

“I put a lot of work in, scouted Martin for 18 months and got very close to him and his family.

“We had permission from Stromsgodset to invite the player over and it was down to us and Real Madrid. We rolled out the red carpet.

“He met with Arsene, we took him out for dinner and really showcased the club.

“We had a holistic approach, not only developing the player as a footballer but as a human being and teaching him good values, you’re going to learn how to cook, going to visit hospitals, do stuff in the community.

“Martin massively impressed everyone, including Arsene. We were very, very close to signing him before he made a late decision to go to Real Madrid.”

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