Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard brushes off Tony Adams' captaincy criticism and Declan Rice pick - 'Don't care'
Published 08/09/2025 at 14:27 GMT+1
Martin Odegaard has been Arsenal captain since 2022 and convincingly won a player vote to continue in the role ahead of the 2025/26 season. But former Gunners skipper Tony Adams has said he thinks there should be a change and has picked out who he would like to see take over as captain. Arsenal face Nottingham Forest in their next game, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ this weekend.
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Martin Odegaard says he "doesn’t care" about criticism from former Arsenal captain Tony Adams over whether he should be wearing the armband this season.
Odegaard, 26, has been Arsenal captain since the summer of 2022 and has also been Norway skipper since March 2021.
A captaincy vote was held among Arsenal players and staff in the summer and manager Mikel Arteta said Odegaard won "by 100 miles".
But Adams, who captained The Gunners to three league titles, said last month that he thought Declan Rice should take over as skipper.
"I don’t care that much, to be honest," said Odegaard about Adams’ remarks.
"Everyone can have their opinion and say what they want, and I’m all right with that. I can’t care about what everyone says.
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"There’s a lot of negative and positive things to say, but I can’t let it affect me. That’s what I’ve thought throughout my career."
Speaking at an Irish Independent Sport event, Adams said about the Arsenal captaincy: "Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.
"Declan is my kind of captain and what it might do is free up Martin Odegaard to play with more freedom.
"You’ve got someone in there that is going to play every game and lay the foundations of a title-winning team. Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can’t. Come on Arteta, make him captain."
Arteta revealed ahead of the season that Odegaard had been an overwhelming choice to continue as captain.
"My opinion is clear and it's not just my opinion, it's all the staff and especially the players," the Spanish coach said.
"I asked them to vote the captain and I got the result yesterday. And by a mile, by a big, big 100 miles, everybody choosing the same person, which is Martin Odegaard, and which is the most clear sign that you can have.
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"It's how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win. So I think there's no question about that."
Arsenal have started the Premier League season with two wins from three matches, losing to Liverpool before the international break.
Odegaard, who is currently away with Norway, says the player vote was a "nice confirmation".
He added: "We voted for it. Ultimately, it was [Arteta’s] choice anyway. But it was a nice confirmation for me."
Arsenal face Nottingham Forest in their next game, live on TNT Sports and discovery+ on Saturday, September 13.
They then play their UEFA Champions League opener against Athletic Club on Tuesday, September 16.
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