Arsenal surprisingly willing to entertain bids for starter despite collapse of Rogers transfer
Arsenal are still considering the sale of captain Martin Odegaard this summer despite failing to sign Morgan Rogers this summer, according to reports.
The Gunners have been quite quiet in the summer transfer window to date with Illan Meslier joining on a free transfer from Leeds United, while Piero Hincapie has turned his loan spell into a permanent move.
Arsenal have sold Jakub Kiwior to Porto, Karl Hein to Werder Bremen, while fan favourite Leandro Trossard left in a deal worth £15.36m to Besiktas.
After winning the Premier League title last term, Arsenal are looking to add quality and not quantity this summer, while hanging onto their best players.
Odegaard has been consistently linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer with the Gunners potentially looking to make a big sale after spending over £250m last summer.
The Norway international has been linked with Turkish side Galatasaray – but that link was dismissed earlier this month.
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But our friends at TEAMtalk are insisting that Arsenal are ‘surprisingly willing to entertain bids for their club captain’ Odegaard despite the Gunners’ failure to get a deal for Rogers, who joined Chelsea for £117m, over the line.
The website adds that sources are ‘now talking up the possibility of why a move could potentially be on the cards’ but a deal next summer looks more likely.
The report adds: ‘And while there is what’s described as a ‘serious interest’ from other clubs in acquiring the midfielder this summer, there remains a lack of desire to match Arsenal’s expected asking price. As a result, a transfer this summer is considered unlikely at this stage.’
If Odegaard does stay at Arsenal, it remains likely that it would be his last at the Emirates Stadium, ‘especially if contract talks do not progress favourably, or if he seeks a new challenge’.
Merson: There’ll be teams queuing round the block for Arsenal star
Paul Merson insisted earlier this summer that “there’ll be teams queuing round the block” if Arsenal open the doors to Odegaard’s sale.
Merson said on The Sports Agents: “It’s madness for me to be saying this, but they probably will be thinking about that [selling Martin Odegaard].
“But for me, I still think there’ll be teams queuing round the block for him… When you play in the position that Odegaard plays in, you’re screaming out for pace up front. You have to have pace.”
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When asked how Arteta should use Odegaard going forward, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol told ESPN: “Odegaard might be leaving Arsenal.
“If you’re Odegaard, the club captain and 18 months ago you were the guy. All of a sudden – and I know he’s had some injuries – but there’s question marks over whether he actually starts because of Eze.
“And maybe because of the way he’s been playing, someone else might get ahead of him as well. So if you’re Martin Odegaard, do you stick around? I don’t think you do.”
Fellow pundit Frank Leboeuf added: “I agree, I agree. I’ve always liked Martin Odegaard and the way he plays because he’s very elegant, but he’s not influential anymore.
“He’s there to start the action, to distribute the ball horizontally. But with Eze right now the moves are not the same, he’s more vertical, more influential and he’s going to help [Viktor] Gyokeres too.
“So it will be a hard time for Odegaard and he will have to make a very good choice, a big choice, at the end of the season.”
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