MADRID – Martin Ødegaard is now Arsenal’s new footballer after the English club and Real Madrid agreed to transfer him for close to $ 46.7 million.
The Norwegian international did not see clearly his role in Carlo Ancelotti’s new Madrid and asked to return to an Arsenal where he already played on loan during the second half of last season.
Madrid, on this occasion, preferred a final transfer and, after several days of negotiations, the two clubs have made the agreement official.
“Real Madrid CF and Arsenal FC have agreed to transfer player Martin Ødegaard. Our club is grateful for his professionalism and exemplary behavior during the time he has been part of Real Madrid. show all your affection to him and his family and wish him good luck in this new stage, “Real Madrid posted on its website.
The clubs have not made official the price of the transfer but different sources assure ESPN that Madrid will receive about 46.7 million dollars and that whites also reserve a right to try in a future sale.
ESPN already reported in July that Madrid were willing to listen to offers from Odegaard after the 22-year-old had expressed doubts about the role he would play with Ancelotti.
Odegaard wanted to be a starter and already then ESPN advanced that Arsenal was the best placed for his signing as it was a personal request of coach Mikel Arteta.
At Real Madrid, several sources express to ESPN his “satisfaction” with the operation as he is a player who came to the white entity for 2.3 million euros and leaves the club for 40. However , these same sources also comment on their frustration at not seeing a young man who was signed at 16 as a long-term bet succeed.
The club especially regrets that the footballer did not “want to fight for a place until the end” given that Luka Modric is already 35 years old.
Anyway, he makes sure that the relationship between the two parties is fantastic and that is why the club has kept a right of trial in a future sale.
Since arriving from Stromsgodset, Odegaard has played for Castilla, Herenveen, Vitesse, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Arsenal. At the gunner club he played 20 games and scored a goal in the London derby against Tottenham Hotspur to beat the gunner fans.
In Madrid, the Arsenal player failed to convince Ancelotti, Rafa Benítez or Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman, like the Italian, asked Odegaard for a little patience but there was no result in this regard.
The player underwent medical examination on Thursday afternoon and is expected to make his debut against Chelsea this weekend.
Real Madrid, less than 15 days before the end of the transfer market, is left with Casemiro (29), Toni Kroos (31), Modric (35), Federico Valverde (23), Isco (29) and Dani Ceballos (25) for the center of the field. At least for now, there is no intention to add any reinforcements for this line.
The sale of Odegaard is the second major operation that Madrid is doing this summer after the departure of Raphael Varane to Manchester United for about 50 million euros. In addition, Sergio Ramos also left the Santiago Bernabeu to sign for Paris Saint-Germain after failing to reach an agreement to renew his contract.