Martin Odegaard to Arsenal: 'As good as prime Mesut Ozil' - but is Liga stay more likely?

ByFelix Martin

Updated 21/01/2021 at 13:29 GMT

The 22-year-old midfielder Martin Odegaard has reportedly asked to leave Real Madrid on loan as he wants more regular first-team action and reports say the Gunners, who already have Dani Ceballos on loan from Real, have made an approach. However, our La Liga expert Felix Martin believes he is more likely to stay in Spain despite the immense qualities he could offer Arsenal.

Martin Odegaard of Real Madrid CF warms up during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid and RC Celta at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 2, 2021 in Madrid, Spain

Image credit: Getty Images

Arsenal are reportedly keen to sign Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid on loan, but Eurosport Spain’s Felix Martin thinks although he is as good as Mesut Ozil in his prime, he is more likely to end up at Real Sociedad.

In the third Eurosport vodcast in partnership with The Beautiful Game Podcast, Deji Odedina, Justin Cole and Marcus Foley agreed that moving to the Emirates would be a good move for Odegaard.

Marca and Spanish journalist Guillem Balague in his BBC column reports that Odegaard may head back to Sociedad on loan.

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But with Ozil heading for Fenerbahce, could he be the perfect player for Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta refused to talk about Odegaard in a press conference on Thursday morning, but Martin thinks the Norwegian is as good as prime Ozil.

“Including Odegaard in the squad this season was an easy decision for Real Madrid," he told us. "He was one of the best players of La Liga last season, his performances for Real Sociedad were outstanding.

“He played 36 games, scoring seven goals (some of them were important, he scored against Atlético de Madrid or even Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey) and provided nine assists.

“His numbers speak for his performance and himself, that’s why it was obvious that Real would get him back, even though the loan contract said that he was supposed to stay two years in Real Sociedad.

“He’s a great player, a young guy, he’s only 22 and he can offer the magic a kid his age has. He’s very talented and he’s a very technical midfielder. He can play either as a number eight or ten, he can be a box-to-box midfielder, play behind the striker to assist him or even play wide on the right.

He could actually be a great replacement for Ozil, he’s somehow similar to the prime version of the German midfielder, a player with a lot of imagination and a great technique that is definitely different. Odegaard would improve a lot his level if he played in the Premier League, in fact, I thought that if he had to leave Madrid he would sign for sure for an English team.

'An amazing signing' - Why Odegaard is the perfect replacement for Ozil

However, Martin thinks Sociedad is more likely to be his destination due to the well-established relationship between the La Liga club and Madrid.

“The fact is that Real and Real Sociedad have a great institutional relation between each other," he added.

"If I had to place my bet, I would say that Odegaard will go back on loan to Real Sociedad. He knows the team, the city, the coach and the team-mates, and I’m sure he would get his best level back in San Sebastian.

“It seems obvious that if Zinedine Zidane continues as the head coach of Real, Odegaard will leave, Zidane doesn’t seem to like the Norwegian, Odegaard has only played nine games this season and he will have to leave.

“But if Zidane leaves, I think that he might stay. New coach, new life, he’s very talented and has everything a Real player should have to success in Madrid.”