Arsenal insider Charles Watts has given an update on Arsenal and their pursuit of Real Madrid’s Martin Odegaard.
At the end of last season, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta spoke of his desire to keep hold of the Norway international, but after Odegaard gave an interview with Norwegian outlet TV2 (via Eurosport) about wanting to fight for his place in the Real Madrid team for next season, those hopes seemed to have faded away.
However, speaking about the matter on his show, Watts claimed that there was still a chance that the Gunners might be able to pick him up this summer if Real Madrid put themselves in a position where they feel that they have to sell him.
He said: “It was always a priority this summer to try and get Odegaard back.
“It looked like that wasn’t going to be able to happen, Real Madrid seemed like they were going to be keeping him, but there are murmurings coming out of people in Madrid right now that that stance may have changed and that Odegaard certainly might be pushing for a move away now before the start of the season, or certainly before the end of the transfer window and that Madrid might be willing to cash in on one or two players.
“I was talking to our guy over in Madrid yesterday, he’s obviously very, very closely connected with the club over there. And he seemed to think two or three might go out before the end of the transfer window as Madrid look to free up space and bring some money in.
“He was talking about Odegaard and saying certainly, Real Madrid would prefer a permanent deal rather than another loan for Odegaard because his contract’s up in 2023. So it wouldn’t be ideal going out on loan unless he signed a new contract before he went away.”
TIF Thoughts on Charles Watts’ comments about Martin Odegaard and Arsenal…
Can Odegaard revive his career at Arsenal?
Yes
No
It certainly does seem like there is a small light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to Arsenal and their chances of signing Odegaard, but they really shouldn’t be waiting on Real Madrid to make their decision, they should be knocking down the door trying to get a deal done.
With just under three weeks to go until the end of the transfer window, they are running out of time to get the deal done at all, and with Arsenal’s first game of the Premier League season in a matter of days, the chances of him being there to help get them off to a good start in the league are pretty slim.
It doesn’t really sound like they are treating him as a priority if they are taking this pretty hands-off approach to try and bring him in, which is a bit strange seeing as he’s really someone that can help fix what was arguably Arsenal’s biggest problem last season.
In other news: ‘It wouldn’t at all surprise me’ – Charles Watts suggests former Arsenal ace could return