Martin Odegaard says Real Madrid have made it clear they want him to return this summer, so that’s what he’s going to do.

Arsenal's Martin Odegaard and Brighton and Hove Albion's Yves Bissouma battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday, May 23, 2021. Copyright: Alastair Grant
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma battle for the ball during the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday, May 23, 2021. Copyright: Alastair Grant

Martin Odegaard joined Arsenal on loan in the January transfer window, and it was clear that the club hoped to make the deal permanent if at all possible.

Various reports initially suggested Arsenal had made Odegaard their top summer target, but a move looked less and less likely as the weeks went by. It certainly wasn’t one to bet on, unlike the games at https://www.platincasino.com/ie/home.html.

Vague hopes were reignited this week after Charles Watts told his YouTube channel that he wouldn’t completely rule out an Arsenal return for Odegaard just yet. But the player himself has since spoken out to effectively kill the rumours.

“Real Madrid have been clear that they would like me back,” Odegaard said. “So then it will be time to go there when the training starts up again. Of course, it has always been a dream to play there.

“I have been in the club for over six years now, and that has always been the goal. I always want to play, I have said that all the time. Playing hard is important.

“No, [I haven’t spoken] with him (Carlo Ancelotti) personally, but I have spoken a lot with the club and had close contact. So I feel they have a good overview.”

Odegaard made 20 appearances for Arsenal in a few months, and he’s only made 11 for the Real Madrid first team in six years. But he clearly believes that he’s finally going to get a proper chance with his parent club now.

James Benge reports that Arsenal have been planning for this eventuality for some time, with other options on their transfer shortlist. James Maddison is high on the list, and there are alternatives at a lower price as well.

Maddison is obviously the player getting Arsenal fans excited, as a young, Premier League-proven midfielder who directly contributed to 20 goals in all competitions last season. But he signed a new deal last summer to 2024, and he’d be an expensive acquisition.

It’s difficult to compare Maddison to the alternatives at this stage, as we don’t really have any hints over who they are. Perhaps that’s for the best, as Arsenal will be able to set those potential deals in motion away from the public eye.