Mikel Arteta thinks Martin Odegaard is happy with Arsenal, based on their conversations and his general impression in training.

After his promising recent form for Arsenal and all the talk about his future, Martin Odegaard is the subject of plenty of speculation right now.

The sense is that his desires and Real Madrid’s view on a potential departure will be two of the key factors in any transfer to Arsenal. From that point of view, it’s worth noting that Mikel Arteta believes Odegaard is very happy in North London.

“I speak with him every day,” Arteta said. “I see his face, his body language and he seems really happy right now here. Our contract with him is until the end of the season. What we have to do is try to make him perform, develop and be as happy as he can be.”

This fits with previous reports that Odegaard would like to remain with Arsenal, though he’s not willing to force a move out of Madrid if they don’t receive a reasonable offer for him.

As for Real’s intentions, they remain unclear. Some reports in England suggest they’re open to offers as they look to rebuild, other reports from Spain imply they’re unwilling to discuss any kind of exit – at least not on a permanent basis.

There’s no real reason why they need to rush to a decision. If they want to keep him, they’ll want to delay any talks for as long as possible. If they’re willing to sell, they’ll still want to make sure they put it off long enough to get the best offer they can.

But as long as Odegaard is happy and willing to make the move, the possibility remains alive.