The first Arsenal player to get their hands on the Premier League trophy in 22 years? That would be Martin Odegaard.
He is Mikel Arteta's voice on the pitch and while he may not be the most aggressive or vocal of leaders, he has been a calming figure to the rest of the squad for a number of years now.
Arsenal-Odegaard-Rice
A year ago, the manager had everyone in the team vote for their captain should be. The resounding answer was indeed Odegaard.
He commands respect and he leads by example. However, they have encounted a problem with the Norwegian which needs addressing sooner rather than later.
Arsenal's Martin Odegaard problem
In August 2021, Arsenal confirmed the arrival of Odegaard from Real Madrid in a deal worth just £30m. Considering some of the fees this summer, that looks like a bargain, regardless of what you think about the midfielder.
Since then, he has been on an almighty journey. He was pretty much there at the start of Arteta's project and he has helped lead them to a first league crown in over two decades.
Martin-Odegaard-Real-Madrid
However, the performances of their skipper have been waning for a while now.
Cast your mind back to 2022/23 and you will recall Odegaard in full flow. He ended that campaign as the joint-top scorer alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on 15 goals.
No midfielder scored more goals than him in the Premier League that term.
However, in the following years, the 27-year-old has really struggled to find the net. Odegaard has now only scored seven times in the last two seasons. He only netted once in 2025/26.
It's a big problem. Sure, the captain has struggled with an ankle injury but it is clear that his ability to strike through the ball has been impacted. He lacks confidence in front of goal and that's been evident in his performances.
Martin Odegaard goals per season (timeless)
Still, he is as creative as he has ever been. Only three players in the league last season made more than his 2.63 key passes per 90 minutes; Bruno Fernandes with a league high 4.02 and then Rayan Cherki (3.06) followed by Jeremy Doku (3.03).
It's a puzzling situation. Odegaard still offers plenty but one of Arsenal's big problems of late has been finding the net with regularity. Perhaps it's time for a change.
How Arsenal could replace Odegaard
This summer Arsenal are looking to make a big spend in the transfer market. Vinicius Junior is currently the talk of the town and what a signing he would be.
Their interest has really ramped up after missing out on Morgan Rogers. He joined Chelsea in a remarkable £117m transfer.
Morgan-Rogers-England-World-Cup
The Gunners were never going to pay such a fee but it is a shame. After all, while he would have been expected to play on the left of Arsenal's attack, he could have made for a wonderful Odegaard replacement in midfield. Rogers scored 14 goals from the number 10 role at Aston Villa last term. He is a more regular goalscorer than the Norway star.
There has long been a feeling that Odegaard could be sold before too long. It feels like a replacement could be incoming in the next few years. Could that player be Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala?
Arsenal insider Teamnewsandtix reported this week: "I've been aware of Arsenal's interest in Vinicius Junior since January. Back in January, Arsenal were looking at the top one percent of the top one percent, that mould of player. The three I heard were Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Jamal Musiala or Vinicius Junior."
Their pursuit of Vinicius has been well documented in recent days but how about Musiala? Well, likewise, he would be an extraordinarily good signing.
After returning from a broken leg in January, he scored just five goals and registered six assists for Bayern last term. However, in full flow, he is easily one of the top forward players on the planet.
If we compare the output of Musiala and Odegaard back in 2024/25, the difference is night and day. The German scored 21 goals in 44 matches, more than living up to his reputation as "one of the top players in the world" in the words of Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Musiala vs Odegaard in 2024/25
Stats (per 90 mins)
Non-penalty goals
Shots
Big chance involvement
Open play expected assists
Big chances created - open play
Shot-ending carries
Successful dribbles
Progressive carries
Progressive passes
Forward passes
Defensive ground duels won
In most of the important metrics for an attacking midfielder, Musiala is streets ahead of the Arsenal skipper.
Most worrying for the latter is that even in his best department, creativity, the German superstar looks like the better player. For Bayern in 2024/25, he produced more big chances from open play and had a higher rate of expected assists.
Musiala-Germany-World-CupReuters/Maria Lysaker
Combine that with Musiala's pace and this could be game-changing signing for Arsenal. His carrying is so much better and most importantly for Arteta, he's a more prolific goalscorer.
A move does look unlikely, particularly as Bayern reportedly valued him as highly as £150m just two years ago. His stock has fallen slightly since then but do not expect him to be leaving the Allianz for anything cheap, that's if they are even willing to sanction a deal.
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