Odegaard says Arsenal 'always in my heart' after goodbye message
Martin Odegaard has appeared to confirm he will not be returning to Arsenal on a permanent basis as he told the club they are “always in my heart”.
Real Madrid look poised to give Odegaard another chance after Carlo Ancelotti replaced Zinedine Zidane as head coach.
Arsenal had hoped to sign the 22-year-old on a permanent basis, while another loan move had also been mentioned as a possibility.
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But Odegaard has posted an emotional goodbye to the club on social media, thanking the fans for their dedication.
“Arsenal, thank you so much for these six months,” he wrote.
“My time with the Arsenal family will always hold a special place in my heart.
“I wanna thank everyone in and around the club for the way you made me feel like a part of the family since the first day.
Special thanks to the fans, I felt you with me at all times.
- Martin Odegaard“Special thanks to the fans, even without you guys at the stadium for the majority of the season, I felt you with me at all times.”
Odegaard thanks Arsenal boss Arteta
Odegaard played 20 times in the Premier League and Europa League, scoring two goals and laid on two assists.
The Norway international also thanked Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after the conclusion of his spell.
He added: “A huge thank you to the boss and his staff for everything I’ve learned during my stay.
“Thank you also to all my teammates for such a great time on and off the pitch.
“Will miss you all. Thank you, Gunners family. Always in my heart.”
Odegaard has found it hard to feature in Spain, making just 11 first-team appearances for Real Madrid since moving there in 2015.
He has not spent a complete season in the first team, having had loan spells as Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad before going to Arsenal.
The Gunners, meanwhile, have been linked with Leicester City attacking midfielder James Maddison.
Read more about: La Liga, Premier League, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Real Madrid, James Maddison, Martin Odegaard
