A matter of days ago Arsenal confirmed their fan voted Player of the Season award. Who took home the gong? Well, for a second year running it was the skipper, Martin Odegaard.
For a player who was the subject of uncertainty when he arrived on a permanent deal from Real Madrid in 2021, he has defied the doubters and become an elite midfield player, one of the best in the Premier League.
Only two players in the division – Bruno Fernandes and Pasca Gross – completed more key passes than the Norwegian's 102 last season. He is a striker's dream, even if he did only exit the campaign with 11 assists from 48 outings.
Odegaard also scored 11 times during a term where he simply captivated audiences with his gorgeous skill and jaw-dropping vision.
So, if Arsenal repeated that signing it would be pretty special, right?
Arsenal in the hunt to sign Odegaard 2.0
Signed initially on loan during the pandemic season, Odegaard impressed Arteta enough to earn a permanent move to the Emirates Stadium, trading Madrid for London in a deal worth £30m.
That now looks to be a bargain but Arsenal are not stopping there in pursuit of signing players on the fringes in Madrid.
Indeed, according to reports in Spain, Arteta wants to bring Brahim Diaz to the Premier League this summer.
It's stated that 'Arteta is said to be seriously considering signing him for next season' and would 'be willing to offer him a starting role in his project'.
Combine the fact Diaz only started 18 of his 31 outings in LaLiga last season with Kylian Mbappe's arrival and it's likely that the chance for more game time will appeal to the 24-year-old.
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ByJack Salveson HolmesMay 30, 2024