Over a decade ago, Martin Ødegaard became the youngest player ever to play for Norway at the senior level at 15 years and 253 days, and the youngest player ever to feature for Real Madrid after coming on as a substitute at 16 years and 157 days old.
He joined Arsenal in 2021 for a €40m fee, and a year later, he was announced as the clubs captain.
Over the last year or so, theres been talk about whether he is the right man to lead Arsenals midfield going forward and whether he offers enough in attack.
In this Martin Ødegaard scout report, we will examine the role he plays under Mikel Arteta, the key strengths and weaknesses of his game, and ultimately determine whether Arsenal is the right club for him to continue at.
Martin Ødegaard Vision
Martin Ødegaards vision has never been in question.
Every football fan knows he has an exceptional eye on the pitch, reads his teammates runs very well, and plays the right pass to find them.
An interesting characteristic about his passing is his flair and deception.
He will not look at his teammate or keep his body facing where he is going to play the ball.
The defender has no idea what type of pass Ødegaard is going to play.
As we can see below, no one thinks Ødegaard will play it behind his teammate, who is making that run; his body language is secretive.
Martin Ødegaard
You can see it again below: he does not look up at Declan Rice as he makes the run into the box.
Still, his intelligence and vision come into play; even when looking at the goal, he knows Rice is making that run, and the slightest glance allows him to play it to his teammate, with no opponent able to get in the way in time.
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