Revealed: Real Madrid's Odegaard clause

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 1 Jan 2023 17:17 GMT
• 4 min read

Martin Odegaard has had a fine season at Arsenal thus far as the Gunners sit on top of the English Premier League table, with the Norwegian captaining the side.

Odegaard has become an important figure at Arsenal since signing for them, and his quality has been recognised by Mikel Arteta, who has made him an important figure of the side.

At just 24, he is showing maturity behind his years and is hoping to lead Arsenal to the Champions League for the first time since 2017 and possibly the league title for the first time since 2004.

READ: Klopp reveals Arsenal midfielder he was desperate to sign

However, there is a clause in his contract which enables a future return to Real Madrid, which may be worrying to the Gunners and their future.

Real Madrid have key Odegaard clause

According to journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon, Real Madrid have first refusal on Odegaard, should he leave Arsenal anytime in the near future.

Real Madrid won’t require Odegaard right now and don’t need to exercise the option at the moment, but it’s a very handy option for the future.

READ: The five Real Madrid players who could leave in January

Odegaard joined Real Madrid when he was a 16-year-old in 2015 and even made his debut for the first team, but he didn’t make much of an impact after that.

He spent time on loan away at various clubs, including Real Sociedad, before his Arsenal spell, which later became a permanent move as he impressed at the Gunners.

However, with Real Madrid’s current midfield options are ageing and they’re building a young core for the future, with Odegaard a possibility.

Odegaard has a contract at Arsenal until the summer of 2025, putting them in a good position to fend off interest from other clubs. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has previously said they won’t be making any signings in January, and their summer plans are still unclear.

He said: "We won't be signing anyone because the squad is well constructed. In terms of exits, we don't know. Some of the players who play less might look to go somewhere where they'd play more. But, there won't be any incomings."