Ian Wright has urged Arsenal to wrap up a £50 million ($68m) deal with Real Madrid for Martin Odegaard, with the Gunners great billing the on-loan midfielder as “the one”.
A talented Norway international moved to Emirates Stadium on a short-term agreement during the winter transfer window.
He has impressed in north London, with another eye-catching performance put in during a thrilling 3-3 derby draw with West Ham, and Mikel Arteta has been advised to do whatever it takes to keep the 22-year-old on his books.
A legendary former Gunners striker has told the Wrighty’s House Podcast: “Watching Odegaard play for Arsenal, I’m so happy and I’m so sad.
“Simply because when you look at Odegaard’s contribution, and I was thinking this with the West Ham game, it’s going to be different, he’s got [Thomas] Soucek and [Declan] Rice. He’s going to be playing in that area where he has got some real ballers with him, and I said before the game, I want to see how he does, and not only does he excel, we go 3-0 down, and the man is literally just showing up.
“On the half-turn, his quick thinking, his passes, as soon as he gets it, he already knows what he’s doing.
“We have to find a way to sign him. I don’t know how it’s going to happen. He’s the one.
“For him to come to the Premier League, we’re talking about a guy who looks very slight but he doesn’t get himself in that traffic and trouble.
“He did a move the other day where he got the ball on his left foot and he’s coming back towards his own goal, then he turned sharply on his left foot and went back around West Ham’s box and passed it to the right.
“You’re thinking that’s the quality and composure Arsenal need. Arteta must be on the sideline thinking, ‘oh my god, this is what I need, this is the guy’.
“His contract runs out in 2023 with Madrid, we’re going through a spell where there’s not a lot of money about, Madrid need money, if [Zinedine] Zidane stays there can you see him putting Odegaard in his team?