Arsenal have been one of, if not the best side in Europe throughout the 2025/26 season.
A lot of that is thanks to their remarkable depth. A lot has been made of that but even their deep squad has been tested due to injury, leading to a rockier period than usual in the run-up to Christmas.
The Gunners' form has not been disastrous by any stretch of the imagination but chinks in the armour are starting to emerge.
Odegaard-Hincapie-Arsenal-Calafiori
Mikel Arteta's men drew with ten-man Chelsea, lost in the last minute to Aston Villa and then needed an injury-time winner to defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Plenty are standing out. Bukayo Saka has raised his level in recent weeks but they need more from their skipper, Martin Odegaard.
Why Odegaard has been struggling in 2025/26
On his day, the Norwegian is one of the most magical players to watch. It was only back in 2022/23 that he scored 15 Premier League goals, the most by a midfielder in England's top-flight that term.
Since then, however, the playmaker has dipped in and out of form. He's still a marvellous creative figure but his goal threat has dwindled significantly.
Last season, the club captain struggled with an ankle injury and when he did return to the side, looked as though he didn't trust his body fully.
Odegaard supplied 12 assists in 2024/25 but he only scored six times in all competitions. Just three of those strikes came in the Premier League.
Martin Odegaard goals per season (timeless)
It's been a similar story for the former Real Madrid star this campaign. Odegaard is yet to find the net in 15 matches, leading to calls for the attacking midfielder to be on the bench.
Eberechi Eze had put in some phenomenal performances when playing as a more central figure. Who could forget that hat-trick against Spurs?
Yet, with Odegaard now over an early-season injury problem, it's forced Eze to either start on the bench or on the left flank instead.
The summer arrival has been much-loved since moving to the Emirates Stadium. Odegaard, on the other hand, has been far more divisive. Does he warrant the captaincy? He leads the press well but everyone can see that Declan Rice is the real voice on the pitch.
Martin-Odegaard-Arsenal-West-Ham
As Eze's performances have shown, Arsenal do have an upgrade. They could even strengthen in 2026 to really put Odegaard's Arsenal career in doubt.
Arsenal could sign big-money Odegaard replacement
Given the vast amounts of riches that Andrea Berta and Co spent over the summer, it feels unlikely that the Gunners will go too wild in the market in January.
That said, players are dropping like flies and even their incredible squad depth is being pushed to the max right now.
Arsenal have Eze to call upon in a central area and we can't forget Ethan Nwaneri either. Both represent fabulous long-term replacements for Odegaard behind the striker.
Yet, if they're looking for even more quality. Juventus' Kenan Yildiz could be their man. Reports towards the beginning of December suggested that club chiefs had already held discussions with Yildiz's agents about a possible move.
Valued at around £88m, it would be a costly deal to get over the line but few can doubt the Turkey international's talent and potential.
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz reacts
His ability to create magic on the pitch has led European football writer Danny Corcoran to describe the youngster as having "Mbappe-like ability" and it's easy to see why.
Further hailed as "one of the best wingers in the world" by some, he's not just capable of playing on the flanks but he's also starred from a more central role.
He's played six times from the left wing in 2025/26, scoring no goals. He's made a far greater impact while playing as a second striker, bagging four goals and supplying five assists from 12 games in that position.
Already, you can see why he could be a far greater threat than Odegaard in Arsenal's team. The data tells us everything we need to know.
Yildiz vs Odegaard: 2025/26 league stats
Stats (per 90 mins)
Goals
Assists
Shots
Key passes
Shot-creating actions
Successful take-ons
Stats via FBRef.
So far this campaign, the Juventus star has been streets ahead of Odegaard in plenty of core metrics. There may not be a big difference between the volume of key passes they make on average per 90 minutes, but the fact Yildiz is a bigger goal threat should certainly excite Arsenal supporters.
Aged just 20, there is a lot to like about the Turkish superstar. He's got goals and assists in him, while his versatility would be perfect for Arteta.
Como scout Ben Mattinson has previously suggested he could be prolifed similary to Leandro Trossard, "switching to a 4-4-2 or 4-2-4 formation with a second striker playing off the 9."
That certainly sounds like a good idea and by using him in such a way, it could finally see the back of Odegaard as a regular starter in this Arsenal team.
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Arsenal might be in another title race this season, and Andrea Berta is ensuring they'll remain so in the future.