Three signings Arsenal could make if they don't land Martin Odegaard this summer

Who else could Mikel Arteta lure to the Premier League if Arsenal fail to land Martin Odegaard this summer?

By Adam Le Roux

It’s hard to imagine this Arsenal team without Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in it right now, but that could be a distinct possibility if Real Madrid have their way this summer.

The Spanish giants hold all the cards when it comes to deciding where the 22-year-old will be playing his football next season, with his future still up in the air with just a little over a month of the season remaining.

The small matter of trying to attract Erling Haaland to the club is also on their mind, with the Borussia Dortmund striker reportedly saying he would want to share a dressing room with his compatriot at the Santiago Bernabeu.

So if the worst comes to the worst and the playmaker isn’t going to be wearing the red and white of the Gunners, Mikel Arteta is going to be need someone with as much creativity and tactical guile to replace him.

With the No.10 role in this team proving so pivotal to the form of the team this can’t be a decision that is rushed into, but let’s take a look at three potential candidates who could fit the bill if Odegaard decides his future lies elsewhere.

Emi Buendia

This is one that has been mooted for a while now, but Emi Buendia has done his chances of a move to the Emirates no harm with a number of eye-catching performances for Norwich in the second tier.

The Argentinian is the man that makes the Canaries tick going forward, with his ability to pick a pass and catalyse the forward thrust exactly why Daniel Farke’s side sit on the brink of an immediate return to the Premier League.

12 goals in 36 appearances this season - including two in his last three matches - speaks volumes about the talent he possesses, and proves exactly why there are a number of top tier clubs keeping an eye on his performances.

Buendia was also named the PFA Player of the Month for March, as he continues to have his best ever season in terms of goals and assists, and at 24-years-old he is just about to enter his prime - which could bode well for the future.

The rumours are that the transfer of the former Getafe man will go ahead whether Odegaard stays at the Emirates through the summer or not, with the £40m man said to have been attracting interest from the Arsenal hierarchy for quite some time now.

With a higher calibre of player around him, Buendia will no doubt shine if he made the move to the Gunners, and prove the perfect competition for Emile Smith Rowe for the starting berth in the centre of the park.

Matheus Martinelli

If you haven’t already heard of the latest Brazilian talent to be pricking the ears of those making the big decisions at the Emirates, then where have you been?

We gave you the lowdown on Matheus Martinelli yesterday, with the 19-year-old Fluminense starlet said to have been approached by Arsenal earlier in the year ahead of a proposed move to England.

The teenager only made his debut for the Rio de Janeiro-based club in December of last year, but has put in a string of impressive performances that has already got tongues wagging in Europe about the latest South American star that is about to make his mark.

Martinelli’s exuberance and intelligence on the pitch seems to be of someone ten years older than he is, with his eye for a pass and ability to ghost past defenders changing games in an instant.

The midfielder has already plundered three goals in his 16 appearances for the club, and looks set to become the latest talent off of the Fluminense conveyor belt - following in the footsteps of Everton’s Richarlison.

The Brazilian club have put in a £35m release clause for their prized asset and have ties him down to a deal until 2024, but on first viewing he looks well worth the outlay, with that price tag likely to be repaid if he produces on the pitch.

Jesse Lingard

If Jesse Lingard’s name had been put on this list a year ago many would have laughed him out of town, with the Manchester United winger widely regarded as being washed up and yesterday’s news.

But fast-forward 12 months, and he is now the talk of the town, with a loan move to West Ham reigniting his career - with eight goals in his nine appearances for the Hammers since making the loan move to the London Stadium in January.

Another brace in the 3-2 win over Leicester last weekend has rocketed him back into the conversation for England’s World Cup squad this summer, and with just a year left on his contract at Old Trafford, now would be the perfect time for the Red Devils to cash in.

Whether he plays on the wings or behind the striker, Lingard has proved that he still has what it takes to cut it at the top level, and instead of firing David Moyes’ side into Europe, it could well be the Gunners that are retaking their place in continental football next season if they land their man.

The forward hasn’t always been the most popular man around the Emirates- especially after his moonwalk celebration when playing for United back in 2019 which irked a large section of the home support - but if he starts to produce the goods on a match day he could do the Macarena and we’d all join in.

With his return to form there will be a number of clubs sniffing around this summer, but despite any past thoughts about the forward he definitely has to be in the conversation if Odegaard doesn’t put pen to paper.

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