Arsenal have agreed deal to sign Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid; Norway midfielder was keen to leave Bernabeu in search of first-team football; Real Sociedad, Leicester and other European clubs were keen on 22-year-old
Wednesday 27 January 2021 11:52, UK
Martin Odegaard has completed a medical at Arsenal ahead of a loan move from Real Madrid.
Arsenal have agreed to sign the 22-year-old on loan until the end of the season, with the deal expected to be confirmed in the next 24 hours.
Odegaard has made it clear he wants to leave Real Madrid this month in order to play regular first-team football, having played just nine times in all competitions for the Spanish club this season.
Real Sociedad were keen on re-signing Odegaard after his season-long loan stint last year, but it is thought Real Madrid's preference was to send him to a club outside La Liga.
Odegaard registered seven goals and nine assists across 36 appearances on loan at the La Liga side last season, leading Real Madrid to cut short his two-year loan and make him part of their first-team squad.
A number of Premier League clubs were also interested in Odegaard, including Leicester, although the Foxes opted not to pursue the Norwegian international after preliminary discussions.
Odegaard's completed medical comes two days after the departure of attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil, who has joined Fenerbahce from Arsenal on a free transfer.
Odegaard will become Arsenal's second signing of the January window after the club secured the services of Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan on a loan deal until the end of the season.
If Arsenal complete the Odegaard deal by midday on Friday then he will be available for their Premier League trip to Manchester United on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports' Peter Smith:
What will Odegaard bring to the Premier League? Well, hype, hope and a lot of media attention for starters.
The attention of the footballing world was centred on him in 2015 when, a month after his 16th birthday, Real Madrid won the race for his signature - and the interest in the now 22-year-old is set to ignite again.
Already a Norway international when he joined Real, Odegaard - who had drawn excitable comparisons with Lionel Messi - immediately began training with the first team and became the club's youngest-ever player in the final game of that season.
Back then, the anticipation of what Odegaard would become at the Bernabeu knew no bounds - but his progress, perhaps disappointingly for some, has been quieter since, as the gradual progression of a midfield technician has taken shape.
Patience is paying off now, though. After an underwhelming 18-month loan spell at Heerenveen, Odegaard had a standout season at Vitesse in 2018/19, creating more chances than any other player in the Dutch top flight, and finishing third in the assists chart to Dusan Tadic and Hakim Ziyech.
He backed it up with an impressive season at Real Sociedad last year, when he hit double figures for goal contributions, and was recalled to Real Madrid as a result.
While a way into Zinedine Zidane's line-up has ultimately been hard to find, Arsenal have landed a classy creator, a pass-master and an attacking midfielder with a fine touch and bright awareness of the game.
Odegaard will bring excitement on the pitch as well as off it.
The winter transfer window is open until Monday, February 1 at 11pm.
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