Real Madrid: Why Odegaard is capable of being a starter next season

Martin Odegaard came back to Real Madrid in 2020 after an excellent loan spell at Real Sociedad. It was a two-year loan that was cut short by Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane really enjoyed seeing the Norwegian rip apart defenses of other La Liga teams, and immediately told Perez that he wanted him back.

It felt like a new signing for Zidane, really, and all the fans that knew what Odegaard was capable of were very excited to finally see him in a Madrid shirt. It was a long time coming, and it was fully deserved. He faced a lot of criticism, and had to do a lot of work to prove that he was still the player that everyone thought he was when Madrid paid the cash to attain his services.

Fast forward to January of 2021, Odegaard had zero goals or assists to his name,  starting just five games and making four substitute appearances for Real Madrid under Zinedine Zidane.

He thought it was time to move to another club for the rest of the season, because that was a much better option than just sitting on the bench and watch Modric play the way he was playing. He went to Arsenal, played well on some occasions and not so much on the others, and now is back in Madrid.

Odegaard will have time to prove his worth now under new management. Carlo Ancelotti could just be the manager that truly lets him free, and lets him do what he does best, on a more regular basis.

Now, you may wonder why Ancelotti would give Odegaard a starting spot at Real Madrid when he still has the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Fede Valverde in those same positions. Modric is coming off of a great individual season, as is Kroos. Valverde — although was injured for long stretches during the season — has proved to be an incredible asset a number of times before. So, how does Odegaard fit in this equation?

Martin Odegaard should get significant minutes under Ancelotti at Real Madrid

Martin Odegaard is one of the most talented youngsters Real Madrid have had at their disposal in years. During his time away from Real Madrid, he became a more mature, more polished and versatile version of the player that joined the club six years ago. Even though he didn’t have the best time at Arsenal, there were still a lot of positives that you could take out from his time in London. With a more competent team around him, a manager that gives him the role he can play very well, and some consistency, he can show Madrid what all he can do.

One would also consider the age of the player he should eventually succeed. As I mentioned here, Luka Modric isn’t in his prime, at least from a fitness standpoint, and he shouldn’t play every single minute of the campaign. That’s where Odegaard slides into the lineup. We could get to see a lot more of Odegaard than we saw last season. It’s at that point when he’d have the opportunity to prove to Ancelotti that he deserves a place in the starting XI.

That’s not to say Odegaard will “bench” Modric because of how good he is. No, he’s not at that level yet. What I mean is, if he puts in a number of great performances , then he’d get to start at least somewhere in the team. He’ll need to prove to the coach that he’s too good to be benched.

Besides, that doesn’t mean he HAS to play in the midfield. The RW spot is still very much open. There’s no telling who’d be the first choice in that position next season, and Odegaard is well equipped to play the role of a wide playmaker. So, I won’t count that option out.

Ancelotti loves to play attacking midfielders in his lineups. If the Italian goes for a formation that elevates the role of an attacking midfielder, Odegaard would be the perfect option for him. After all, he’s at his best when he’s in the middle.

The Norwegian can obviously play very well as a central midfielder, as we saw at Sociedad. He might not be perfect defensively, but he’s an underrated presser and is very hard working both on and off the ball. He tracks back and helps the defense many times, so if Modric ever requires rest, Odegaard can fill in for him very easily.

I genuinely think he has the potential to be one of the best midfielders in the world, and he will have to take his chances with both hands. He’s definitely got the talent, and he is bound to succeed at the club. It’s time for him to put in the work, impress the manager, and show that he is indeed capable of being a starter at Madrid, even with all the veterans surrounding him in that same position.