Is Martin Odegaard the answer to the Gunners' creative woes?

                                                               

Is transfer target Martin Odegaard the solution for Mikel Arteta as he tries to fix Arsenal's lack of creative spark in the Premier League this season?

By Peter White

Spirits may have been lifted at Arsenal following a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, but Saturday’s tepid FA Cup performance served as a timely reminder that boss Mikel Arteta still has plenty of work to do.

A 1-0 defeat at Southampton brought the Gunners’ FA Cup defence to an abrupt end, with the 14 men afforded minutes on the south coast struggling to convince fans that further business doesn’t need doing before the end of the January transfer window.

While the arrivals of young defender Omar Rekik and back-up goalkeeper Mat Ryan might represent clever bits of business, there is undoubtedly an appetite for a high-profile addition to the ranks in a position further up the field.

Lyon’s Houssem Aouar and Norwich’s Emi Buendia are among the names that continue to circulate in north London, yet it is looking increasingly likely that Real Madrid star Martin Odegaard could be set for a temporary switch to the English capital.

Having impressed on loan at Real Sociedad last season the Norway international has endured a stop-start campaign at the Bernabeu so far this year, and is reportedly on the lookout for some increased game time at another European giant.

With his proposed shirt number in Arsenal red having already been teased, the Emirates faithful are bracing themselves for the signature of a player once lauded as the future star of world football.

Signed by Los Blancos at the tender age of 16, Odegaard - now 22 - has perhaps not hit the heights once expected, but he has shown flashes of his potential throughout his young career to date.

As well as spending time on loan at Sociedad last term, the attacking midfielder has enjoyed loan spells at Dutch Eredivisie sides Heerenveen and Vitesse during his time at Madrid, the latter for whom he has turned out nine times for in 2020/21.

Already with around 150 senior appearances to his name - as well as 25 caps for his country - we take a look at what Odegaard could bring to the Arsenal setup if the deal does indeed go through.

Creativity in the midfield

Amidst Arsenal’s turgid run before Christmas - which saw them go seven Premier League games without a win - desperation for the addition of creativity into the team saw some fans crying out for the reinstatement of forgotten man Mesut Ozil into the side.

Youngster Emile Smith Rowe has somewhat filled the void since Boxing Day, but there remains a need for someone with a magic touch, especially in the wake of Ozil’s recent departure to Fenerbahce.

Figures suggest that Odegaard can be that man, with only five players - including Lionel Messi and Arsenal legend Santi Cazorla - creating more scoring chances than the young Norwegian in La Liga last season.

As well as hitting double figures for goal contributions while at Sociedad, Odegaard also ranked in the top 10 for successful dribbles in the Spanish top flight.

Further evidence of his attacking talent comes from his spell at Vitesse in 2018/19, during which he created more chances than any other Eredivisie player, and also finished third in the league’s assists charts.

While unlikely to contribute much to Arsenal’s defensive efforts, Odegaard’s ability to open up opposition defences could be the key to Arteta’s charges improving their current standing as the lowest scorers of the Premier League’s top 12 teams.

Weight off the youngsters’ shoulders

The contribution of Arsenal’s young stars - perhaps most notably the aforementioned Smith Rowe - has largely been credited as the inspiration for Arsenal’s resurgence since the festive period.

Indeed, the 20-year-old has been central to a lot of what has gone right across the past few weeks, but it would be perhaps unreasonable to expect him to consistently carry the can for the remainder of the season.

Odegaard is tied down to a contract at Real Madrid until 2023 so a stay in Islington is likely to be merely temporary, but it would represent an easing of the pressure on Smith Rowe and allow him to further establish himself in the senior setup.

While Odegaard could replace Smith Rowe in the team, his flexibility of being able to play as a No.10, a No.8 or on the right could facilitate the presence of the pair in Arteta’s XI.

Star quality

While Arsenal currently occupy a mid-table position in the Premier League and in reality remain a far-cry from their title-chasing teams of the not-so-distant past, a signing of Odegaard’s calibre could go some way to reminding the footballing world that they are still a major player.

A regular contributor to Zinedine Zidane’s 13-time Champions League winners Real Madrid, Odegaard will be used to the highest standards in the game and his arrival should boost the output among the Gunners’ ranks.

While fellow Real star Dani Ceballos is already at Arsenal, it certainly seems Odegaard would bring a determined attitude with him, with reports suggesting that his own desire for playing time is behind a hunt for a fourth career loan spell.

Former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell told Metro: “He’s not the type of kid who wants to just sit around, he wants to play and he’s a very talented player.”

If Odegaard can add attacking prowess on the pitch and increase the confidence and contribution of his teammates, Arteta could well find himself steering his team into the European places over the coming weeks.

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