Odegaard was offered to Tottenham, but chose Arsenal instead

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Norwegian superstar Martin Odegaard was, according to VG, offered the chance to join Tottenham on loan from Real Madrid, but opted for Arsenal instead.

Tottenham, who currently sit sixth in the Premier League, have been heavily criticised for their defensive style and inability to kill off games in recent months, and the signing of Odegaard could’ve helped aid this.

Instead, the 22-year-old will be displaying his magic across North London at the Emirates, where he is on loan until the end of the season.

Odegaard made just three La Liga starts for Real Madrid this season, despite an excellent year on loan at Real Sociedad in 2019/20, and felt he needed to leave the Bernabeu on loan to further his career.

However, there are questions over Spurs’ pursuit of the Norwegian considering Dele Alli is currently experiencing very similar circumstances in North London, to the ones Odegaard faced in Madrid.

Joining an Arsenal side, buoyed by a recent upturn in form, Odegaard is excited to join the club that his idol, Cesc Fabregas, played for.

“There were a lot [of Arsenal players I admired]. But I think Fabregas, for me, was one of my idols when I grew up. So especially him.”

Having chosen Arsenal over Spurs, Odegaard revealed: ““I like the club and I always liked the way that the club wants to play. Everything about the club and now how the manager wants to play, I think it’s a club that really suits me well. So I think it’s a good match.”

Odegaard added that the influence of Mikel Arteta was crucial in his decision. “I spoke to him before coming here, of course,” Odegaard told the club’s website. “That was very important for me and he seems like a top manager and I liked his ideas, the way he sees football and also the way he is.

“He gave me a great feeling and that was important for me to come here. He was crucial.

“I think every time you go to a new place, you want to make sure that it feels good and that there is a plan. But I think everything here just seems good.”