Martin Odegaard will be part of the Real Madrid squad for the 21/22 season according to a report in Spain that claims they also want to sign Paul Pogba or Houssem Aouar.

Arsenal deals: Arsenal's Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (L) gets instructions from Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (R) as he comes on as a substitute during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 30, 2021. (Photo by Shaun Botterill / POOL / AFP)
Arsenal deals: Arsenal’s Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard (L) gets instructions from Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (R) as he comes on as a substitute during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on January 30, 2021. (Photo by Shaun Botterill / POOL / AFP)

Martin Odegaard always looked unlikely to be an Arsenal player next season with Real Madrid wanting the player back at the club even if it wasn’t clear that Zinedine Zidane did, too. Zidane has now left the club, which could change things.

There was a lot of talk over the season about Real Madrid making a mistake in letting Odegaard join Arsenal. Many had wanted them to keep Odegaard around in case they suffered injury problems, something that did indeed happen.

Paul Pogba gestures to the crowd after the UEFA Europa League final, at Gdansk Stadium, Poland. Picture date: Wednesday May 26, 2021. Copyright: Rafal Oleksiewicz
Paul Pogba gestures to the crowd after the UEFA Europa League final, at Gdansk Stadium, Poland. Picture date: Wednesday May 26, 2021. Copyright: Rafal Oleksiewicz

In addition to adding Odegaard to the squad, DefensaCentral report that Real Madrid also want to add another midfielder to their lineup. They report that Manchester United’s Paul Pogba “has been on Real Madrid’s agenda for several years.”

Lyon's forward Houssem Aouar celebrates after scoring a goal from the penalty-kick during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco at the Groupama stadium in Decines-Charpieu, near Lyon, south-eastern France, on October 25, 2020. (Photo by PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP)
Lyon’s forward Houssem Aouar celebrates after scoring a goal from the penalty-kick during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco at the Groupama stadium in Decines-Charpieu, near Lyon, south-eastern France, on October 25, 2020. (Photo by PHILIPPE DESMAZES / AFP)

The Spanish site also says that Real Madrid are looking at former Arsenal target, Houssem Aouar at Lyon, as he is another player the Real Madrid board “like a lot”.

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The La Liga side, who finished two points behind title winners Atletico Madrid are, apparently, looking to replace Isco, another player who has been linked with Arsenal although so far not ahead of this window.

Isco wanted to leave in January due to a lack of playing time and DefensaCentral report that “everything indicates that this summer he will put an end to his stage at the Santiago Bernabéu.”

In January, David Ornstein said about Arsenal’s reported interest in the player, “Isco is a player who there have been many reports about and I understand that Mikel Arteta is not inclined to pursue that one.”

At the same time, Arsenal were also said to be interested in signing Christian Eriksen but Ornstein stated that “I’ve consistently been told that Arsenal do not want to sign [Christian Eriksen].

“It’s not the age profile that they’re looking for.”

Both Isco and Eriksen are 29, so if Eriksen’s age rules out a move, I think we can be fairly confident we won’t be moving for Isco either, which is good. There is a reason he’s not getting minutes at Real Madrid.

The midfielder started just eight La Liga games for Real Madrid in the season just gone and averaged 36 minutes per league game.

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