He is the player who best symbolizes Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Arriving at the Gunners in 2021 for €35 million, after a one-year loan from Real Madrid, the midfielder even became the club captain. He managed to take the Londoners to the final of the Champions League last year, beaten on penalties by PSG, and above all to have finally brought back the title of champion of England, after 22 years of waiting. Martin Ødegaard is all that (14 games this season, 4 goals, 1 assist), and yet his future is far from assured.
His contract ends in 2028 and negotiations have not made much progress in recent months. Time is starting to run out, because no extension is signed by this summer, a radical decision will have to be made by selling him, otherwise he will be free a year later. Arsenal want to avoid this situation. Informal discussions have already been held, but that’s it. A departure is not a taboo subject either, we learn from Sky Sports in Germany.
A departure is not taboo
The 27-year-old Norwegian is popular with major European clubs. The Gunners even received forms of interest from suitors last summer. Bayern Munich was not part of this list and currently has no need in this area of play. Kane, Olise, Luis Diaz and Musiala already have the keys to the team between their feet. This did not prevent the Bavarian giant from maintaining regular contact with Ødegaard’s entourage all these years.
If Arsenal leaves, the latter could consider a transfer to Bayern, underlines Sky Sports. The interest is mutual. We’re not there yet, but a transfer never happens overnight, and even if the club coached by Vincent Kompany may not be his final destination, this information reveals one thing. The native of Drammen is ready to leave the Gunners where he has everything going for him. But we know that a sporting career is often fueled by new challenges.
