Real Madrid made three major loan moves in the winter transfer window. They sent Luka Jovic back to his old club Eintracht Frankfurt and switched Takefusa Kubo’s loan from Villarreal to Getafe within LaLiga. But their biggest move was to send rising star Martin Odegaard to Arsenal after the Norwegian pushed for more playing time.
Odegaard’s loan in North London has contained some highs, such as a wondergoal in the Europa League, but it has largely been uneventful due to the club’s continued struggles in the Premier League.
Here are three takeaways from Odegaard’s loan move.
Martin Odegaard’s talent is still clear
In March, Martin Odegaard was voted by fans as the club’s Player of the Month. He was quite clearly the best player on the team that month, though some fans have soured on him since the player’s performances have cooled since then.
Despite that, Odegaard’s peak performances at Arsenal were reminiscent of some of his finest work at Real Sociedad last season. The 22-year-old was solid against lowly Burnley, scored in the North London derby, and recorded four key passes and four dribbles completed in a masterful performance against West Ham, per WhoScored.com.
Odegaard may have struggled against bigger opponents like Chelsea and Liverpool, but there are still positives to note from his loan spell with Arsenal. Like the fact that Real Madrid fans can feel secure that his top-end talent and upside are very much legit.
Martin Odegaard will need to readjust expectations when he heads back to Real Madrid
Honestly, though, the fact that Martin Odegaard has started in just 8 of his 12 Premier League appearances is a reminder that he isn’t ready to play as often as he thinks he is. There are a lot of fans who want to be quick to villainize Zinedine Zidane, and it’s kind of laughable how some people want to act as if they know more than a guy who won three straight Champions Leagues and was one of the best players ever. But I digress.
Odegaard has shown flashes of brilliance in North London, but he hasn’t been a week-in, week-out impact player. Some of that is down to the fact that it’s really hard to stand out on Arsenal, because the team is kind of dysfunctional and might not be led by a good manager. (I’ll refrain from being too harsh on a manager I don’t cover every game.)
The point remains, though, Odegaard still needs some time before he can become a key player for Real Madrid. He was one of LaLiga’s best in 2019-2020, but one great half-season isn’t enough to start for a club like Los Merengues. It’s really, really hard to be a regular starter at this club, given the competition within the squad and target every other club places on the backs of Madrid attackers. Just ask Eden Hazard about that.
When Odegaard returns to Real next season, he needs to realize that he’s going to have to FIGHT for his place. He’s going to have to fight like he’s never fought before. And he can’t get discouraged if Zidane protects him in some games or goes with his “old guard” in others. He just has to buckle down and FIGHT.
Martin Odegaard won’t stay with Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta worked hard to convince the Norwegian attacking midfielder to join his squad this winter, and there was even some reporting about how Arsenal could keep him permanently. But was that really reporting or wistful thinking? Was Odegaard actually mad at Zinedine Zidane and more trusting of Arteta, or was he swindled by a few vague (read: empty) promises from a manager who has his storied club languishing in the mid-table?
Let’s just come right out and say it. Martin Odegaard is too good for Arsenal. The Gunners are a prestigious club with some very talented players. But they have some work to do and some big-picture problems to sort out. Their manager is a question mark, their defense is shambolic, their squad is still unbalanced, and their owner is comically inept.
Odegaard’s ambitions have always seemingly been to stand out at Real Madrid. And maybe his situation this season would have been better if he toughed it out at Real, given the extent of the injuries the club has faced and the Norwegian’s own lingering patellar issues that Zinedine Zidane was likely wary of when making lineup decisions.
I don’t know how big of a role Odegaard will play for Los Blancos next season, but I do know that he can’t keep wasting his time with Arsenal. They don’t know how to maximize his skill-set or the skill-sets of any of their players, for that matter. At least if he has bumps in the road for Real next season, he’ll know those were down to him not quite being at the necessary level yet. I think this loan spell has taught him to take some accountability for his play instead of potentially blaming Zizou, just as Kubo’s loans to Villarreal and Getafe were tough lessons for the other talented left-footed loanee.