Martin Odegaard – His journey from Real Madrid bench to Arsenal’s captaincy is a masterclass in redemption and resilience.
Real Madrid made headlines when they signed a relatively unknown 16-year-old wonderkid from Norway in 2015. They struck a deal to sign Martin Odegaard from Strømsgodset, a club where he was seen as a phenomenon by the fans.
The midfielder had just become the youngest player to make his debut in the Tippeligaen (Norwegian league). Within months, he became their youngest goalscorer, and his contributions helped Strømsgodset qualify for the Europa League.
Things were looking really bright, and many expected that he would continue this momentum after moving to Santiago Bernabeu.
However, it was an entire different picture in La Liga. After spending two years with Real Madrid Castilla, Odegaard finally got his chance to make his senior debut in 2017. But in his next six years at the club, he made a shocking eight appearances only.
He later bounced around three countries, playing for five different clubs on loan while he was under contract at Madrid. Although the playmaker was a bright and talented player during his loan spells and youth games, his development at his parent club had hit a standstill.
Is it ever meant to be… pic.twitter.com/S5nQZ3i6WL
— Managing Madrid (@managingmadrid) November 5, 2024
He was destined to play for a top European team and then came to a club, whom he visited as a 15-year-old. Arsenal agreed to sign Odegaard in 2021, ending his nightmare in Spain.
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Madrid fans were frustrated because they saw the youngster growing at Castilla, working hard on the field but still grabbing only a handful of games at the club. The talented star left at a time when the La Liga giants had to deal with an injury crisis.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric were struggling with their fitness. Dani Ceballos and Isco’s future was also uncertain, and it was a chance that Odegaard could have taken with open arms.
His ability to elite passing skills, positioning between the lines, ability to create goal-scoring chances, and ball progression could have been an asset for Madrid. But what was the reason behind the club agreeing to sell such an important youngster to Arsenal?
Why Martin Odegaard left Real Madrid?
Fans believed that the midfielder didn’t fight enough at Madrid, but there were other sides of the story as well. The Champions League giants were well sorted in the centre of the field, with three of the best midfielders in the world bossing every opposition.
Hence, it was not easy to make a breakthrough, but talent always finds its way. It is also said that Madrid weren’t initially interested in signing the Norwegian star, and they were focused on selling fringe players like Isco, Mariano Diaz, and Luka Jovic.
However, due to a lack of interest in these players, they tried to sign the youngster before his value increased. In fact, they didn’t value him much and only kept him as a future asset. Due to their constant negligence of Odegaard’s abilities, a move away was the best option.
Nah .. Genuinely speaking it worked out for all parties.
In terms of Real Madrid – He would be a bench player or starting 1 every 3-4 games.
Odegaard – Worked out for him and Arsenal brilliantly and he himself needed a move to fulfil his talent everyone knew he had. https://t.co/CcoOmjoeNR
— TheTrickyReds🔰 (@TheTrickyReds20) April 24, 2024
The Spanish elites never forced a player to stay, as they knew that if the player doesn’t suit their project, then he is just surplus to requirements. Some sources also claim that they wanted to sell players in order to raise funds for marquee signings like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
But if the club didn’t hold on to him for long. This was their biggest mistake since a slight belief would have changed the entire scenario. Odegaard is firing on all cylinders at Arsenal, one of the best captains in over two decades.
The fans have witnessed the club breaking from the shackles and transforming into world beaters. Mikel Arteta wanted a creative genius, someone who could join the scattered puzzles.
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Madrid might regret selling him, as the player clearly proved that his value was much higher than initially anticipated. Odegaard wanted to develop himself and stop being a third or fourth friddle at Santiago Bernabeu.
Arsenal presented a right platform to the talented player, and he has lived every opportunity to the fullest.
