Real Madrid have reportedly slapped a €60 million price tag on midfielder Martin Odegaard, who Arsenal are keen on signing on a permanent basis this summer.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Arsenal will have to shell out a massive amount of €60 million if they want to secure the services of Norwegian international Martin Odegaard on a permanent transfer from Real Madrid in the upcoming transfer window.
Odegaard signed for Real Madrid in January 2015 as one of the hottest young prospects in Europe despite being just 16 years of age. He made his senior debut for the Merengues in May that year but continued to play for the club’s Castilla outfit for the next eighteen months or so before sealing a loan move to Dutch club Heerenveen in January 2017, where he spent a year and a half.
Odegaard was then shipped out on loan again for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, to Vitesse Arnhem and Real Sociedad, respectively. He absolutely thrived with the latter club, emerging as one of the best young players in La Liga for the season, which earned him a spot in the Real Madrid squad for the 2020/21 campaign.
While he didn’t always get a whole lot of opportunities due to the presence of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Odegaard didn’t make the best of whatever chances that did come his way and, as a result, found himself pushing for an exit in January, signing for Arsenal on loan. Having arrived in England, the 22-year-old fared quite decently, bagging 2 goals and 2 assists in 20 games, while adding the missing creative element in the Gunners’ attack.
Now that the season is over, Odegaard will be back at Real Madrid, but the club are open to the prospect of offloading him despite being aware of his promise and potential. The report states that the La Liga giants are not happy with the attitude that the Norwegian showed prior to his exit in January. That, coupled with their need for finances amid a crisis situation, means they will listen to offers for the 22-year-old midfielder.
Arsenal are one of his main suitors, with the Gunners intent on securing his services on a permanent basis, which is quite understandable considering that they don’t have options in the No. 10 role beyond Emile Smith Rowe, who has enjoyed a breakthrough 2020/21 campaign. However, it is now being claimed that the north London giants will have to shell out a sum of €60 million in order take Odegaard back to the Emirates Stadium.
With the financial situation being as it is and Arsenal not playing European football next season, it remains to be seen whether they are able to drum up such a figure and move for Odegaard’s permanent transfer. Real Madrid, for their part, have already settled in on a replacement for the Norwegian, with Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella being targeted. So, a transfer for the 22-year-old looks very likely. Whether it is to Arsenal, remains to be seen.