Arsenal transfer news: Madrid legend questions Odegaard’s mentality

Emmet Gates

• Updated: 17 May 2021 19:51 BST
• 2 min read

Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano has questioned Martin Odegaard’s mentality to succeed at the highest level, as he closes in on a loan move to Arsenal.

Odegaard has spent the last several seasons on loan at various clubs, after struggling to break into the first team at Los Blancos since signing for the club in 2015.

In 2019/20, he spent the season at Spanish outfit Real Sociedad, making 36 appearances and scoring seven goals in all competitions.

He returned to Real Madrid last summer, but has struggled for playing time, featuring only seven times.

Odegaard is closing in on yet another loan move, this time to Arsenal. And as such, Madrid legend Valdano has questioned Odegaard’s mentality, and lack of patience.

“The quality that Odegaard possesses is necessary for this Real Madrid team,” Valdano told Spanish outlet Onda Cero.

“I don’t think that Odegaard has played badly. Perhaps he was a bit conservative when it came to him, maybe he lacked some more daring actions, but he also lacked patience to continue at Real Madrid. In the end he competes with two stars like Modric and Kroos.

“I am more concerned about his mentality.

“It is not worthy of a Real Madrid player to leave your place, not have that patience. It’s not just any player ahead of him. I am surprised that he would leave the club and leave his spot open for others.”

Odegaard signed for the club in January 2015, when he was only 16-years-old. Since then, he’s had loan spells at Vitesse Arnhem, Heerenveen and Sociedad, with the Arsenal deal about to be his fourth different spell on loan.

His contract expires with the Spanish giants in June 2023. Odegaard has played only 11 times for Madrid in total.

It’s thought that Arsenal will not have the option to make the move permanent at the end of this campaign.