Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are unlikely to entertain any offers for their skipper, Martin Odegaard, amidst interest from Barcelona.
Arsenal have no intentions of parting ways with Martin Odegaard, despite his recent struggles. According to a report from Football Insider, the Gunners are all set to fend off interest from Barcelona as they intend to keep their club captain around for years to come.
While things didn’t work out for Odegaard at Real Madrid, the move to Arsenal has certainly done wonders for him. He joined the North London club at the start of 2021. It was an initial loan move, which was made permanent in the following summer for £30 million plus bonuses.
The 26-year-old attacking midfielder has been one of the standout performers for Arteta’s team over the years. He has been involved in 205 matches and has contributed towards 81 goals (41 goals, 40 assists).
While he remains one of the first names on their team sheet, the Norwegian international hasn’t had the best of starts to the new season. He has only been on the pitch for 294 minutes and remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Barcelona’s interest in Martin Odegaard
Despite his struggles, the interest in his services remains quite high. European giants Barcelona are one of the clubs that are keen on signing. Hansi Flick seeks more quality in the final third and beleives Odegaard could be just the perfect fit for his team.
They are keen on bolstering their midfield and feel he could help them better control the tempo of games. While they consider him a top target, the Catalan giants are unlikely to get their hands on the Arsenal skipper.
Will Arsenal sell Odegaard?
While speaking about Odegaard’s future, O’Rourke said, “I don’t see any chance of him moving away from Arsenal.
“Obviously, it’s been a mixed start for Odegaard this season due to injuries. Picked up a few worrying injuries which have meant that he’s not played as often as he would do.
“If Martin Odegaard’s fit, I think he starts in that Arsenal side for me. We know Mikel Arteta has a wealth of options in his side now.
“He’s probably got the strongest squad in the Premier League right now with so many options and strength and depth now at the Emirates but Odegaard is still a key man for me.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Barcelona would be interested in Martin Odegaard. Most big clubs in Europe would be interested in Martin Odegaard.
“He’s a top performer, he’s shown that at Arsenal over the last couple of seasons as well but there’s so many questions, how would Barcelona even afford Martin Odegaard with all their financial problems as well.
“He’s under contract until 2028, so he would cost a pretty hefty fee if Arsenal were to even consider selling them, but that’s not even part of their thinking either.
“They want to keep Martin Odegaard, they want to build their team around him and being the club captain there just shows how important he is to Mikel Arteta’s plans.”
The North London club consider him untouchable. He is an integral part of their long-term plans, and they won’t even negotiate his departure. While he has had a few injury troubles of late, Arteta is set to remain patient with his captain. He is waiting for his return, as he could end up playing a massive role in their pursuit of the league title.