Was Martin Ødegaard the best deal of the summer?

Was Martin Ødegaard the best deal of the summer?

By Matt Wright
During Martin Odegaard's initial loan spell with Arsenal, the Norwegian showed glimpses of what made him such a sought-after talent as a teenager, but it's fair to say he did not pull up any trees. 

Joining a struggling Gunners team at the time did not help. However, there were some highlights, with one of his two goals in his 20 appearances coming in a North London derby victory over Tottenham at the (sadly empty) Emirates Stadium. 

When news emerged that Mikel Arteta was keen to bring him in from Real Madrid permanently the following summer, many Gooners were not convinced. 

It had, after all, been a fairly low-key loan spell, his fourth away from Madrid.

Loan spells

His time at Arsenal followed stints with Dutch sides Heerenveen, Vitesse Arnhem and a succesful period with Madrid's La Liga rivals Real Sociedad. 

Maybe it was to do with the fact that they had only been able to watch Odegaard from their sofas to that point. 

Regardless of the reasons, alternatives such as Leicester's James Maddison were favoured by supporters. 

That is why Odegaard's permanent transfer, at the reasonable cost of £35 million, was not greeted with universal enthusiasm. 

However, few people are questioning the wisdom of bringing him back anymore.

After the 23-year-old's superb display from midfield in last Sunday's victory over Leicester, few Gunners fans would be prepared to stop the midfielder for Maddison. 

While Bukayo Saka's continued excellence and the rise of Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli have tended to take most of the headlines from Arsenal's Champions League push, Odegaard's influence on Arteta's team cannot be understated. 

There has been the quality on the ball you would expect from someone Real Madrid signed at the age of 16, but it is his willingness to graft in the middle of the park that has made him a fan favourite at the Emirates. 

The one improvement you would like to see would be an increase in his goal tally, but his burst of three goals in three games in early December demonstrated that he does have this in his locker. 

People are taking notice

Odegaard's form, increasingly recognised in the media these days, has to make him a candidate for one of the signings of the season.

There is plenty of competition for the accolade among his teammates, with Aaron Ramsdale and Takehiro Tomiyasu both having outstanding seasons so far. 

Ramsdale has been a revelation in goal, while Ben White has also brought the sort of composure that had been missing from Arsenal's defence for what felt like an eternity. 

There have also been notable improvements brought to Wolves and Crystal Palace through the additions of Jose Sa and Conor Gallagher, respectively. 

However, Odegaard is now pushing towards being the world-beater his early-career displays suggested he could be.

Best of all, he still has many years still ahead of him.

We may be speaking with hindsight, but it is incredible that we ever doubted him. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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