Arsenal are reportedly once again prioritising a summer move for Real Madrid playmaker Martin Odegaard, after being beaten in the pursuit of Emi Buendia.
According to a report by football.london, Martin Odegaard has once again become a priority target for Arsenal heading into the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old Norwegian playmaker could be the subject of a move from the Gunners, whether it is on loan or a permanent transfer.
Odegaard is yet to carve out a place for himself in the first-team setup at Real Madrid. Having arrived at the La Liga club in 2015, the Norwegian playmaker has instead been sent out as many as four different loan spells, with the player even making quite an impression during his stints at Real Sociedad and Arsenal.
The Gunners, in fact, had him for the second half of the 2020/21 season, with the 22-year-old taking little time to establish himself as a regular. In all, Odegaard made 20 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal, with 2 goals and as many assists to show for his efforts.
Odegaard, though, is now back at Real Madrid and there is a cloud of uncertainty looming over him and his future in the Spanish capital. There have been suggestions that he could find a place under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti, while other reports claim that another loan move away from the La Liga heavyweights could well be on the horizon.
Arsenal have unsurprisingly been linked with Odegaard again, but his potentially big-money price could pose a problem for them. To that end, the Gunners had turned their attention towards Emiliano Buendia, who was coincidentally a target for the north Londoners before they landed Odegaard in January.
In fact, there had even been murmurings that Arsenal had tabled an offer to sign the Argentine playmaker and it was looking like the interest in Odegaard had ended. However, all that has turned around spectacularly heading into the summer transfer window.
The pursuit of Buendia has ended, with Aston Villa beating the Gunners to his signature. And, as per football.london, Odegaard is once again a priority target for Arsenal, with technical director Edu convinced that a deal can be agreed with Real Madrid, whether in the form of a loan extension or a permanent move. An intriguing summer, therefore, beckons for all three parties involved.