Highly-rated Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard is expected to join Arsenal in the coming days. According to influential Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano, the London club already agreed to pay a $46.8 million transfer fee to Real Madrid for the 22-year-old player and is in the process of finalizing personal terms with him.
Odegaard, who spent the second part of the 2020-21 season on loan with Arsenal, is expected to ink a five-year contract with the Gunners.
The transfer agreement between Real and Arsenal reportedly includes the “right of first refusal” clause. This means that the LaLiga giants will have an option to match any offer Premier League club accepts for Odegaard and return him to Santiago Bernabeu if they want.
Martin Odegaard signed with Real Madrid as a 16-year-old in 2015 and was viewed as the next big thing in soccer. However, Odegaard never managed to realize his potential with Los Blancos and struggled to find playing time. He only played 11 games for Real’s senior team and instead spent most of his time with the club’s reserves or on loan.
In hopes of finding meaningful playing time, Odegaard joined Arsenal on loan in January. He ended up appearing in 20 games and putting up some great performances while contributing with two goals and two assists.
Odegaard was reportedly determined to make another attempt to break into Real’s first team this season but was told by new head coach Carlo Ancelotti that he is facing an uphill battle. This made him open to a return to the Premier League, which Arsenal used to their favor and got him at a discount price.
