‘End of an Era’: Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard could be set for shock departure this summer according to report
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been one of Mikel Arteta’s most important players in the Gunners’ Premier League title challenge this year, but the Norwegian could be set to leave the Emirates Stadium in the summer.
Despite falling five points short of Manchester City for the title that they’ve contested the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign, Odegaard scored an incredible 15 goals and assisted a further eight for his Arsenal team-mates in what has proven a standout for the 24-year-old
His performances earned him nominations in multiple player of the year awards, but reports are suggesting Odegaard could be swapping London for another European capital in the summer.
Indeed, the Daily Mail are reporting that Paris Saint-Germain harbour strong interest in signing Odegaard in the upcoming transfer window, with the outlet suggesting the Ligue 1 champions have sounded out Arsenal over a potential move.
Signed for around £35 million from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, after a successful six-month loan spell, Odegaard has since flourished in an advanced midfield role, dictating play with his excellent vision and technical dribbling.
With his contract still having two years left to run at Arsenal, Odegaard won’t come cheap, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £70 million – though expect PSG to have to stump up an even larger fee.
However, Odegaard is happy in London and at Arsenal, making any deal difficult to do. Persuading both the club and player will take some doing, especially as Arsenal look to bolster their squad ahead of another title challenge next season.
The Gunners retain a strong interest in West Ham United captain Declan Rice, while Chelsea duo Matteo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante are both out of contract at Stamford Bridge and could make the short trip across the English capital.
Retaining Odegaard could prove key in persuading fellow Scandinavian star Rasmus Hojlund to join from Atalanta, too, with the 20-year-old attracting plenty of attention across Europe.
