Arsenal warned against ‘dangerous’ £80m transfer as two Gunners stars will suffer
Arsenal have been warned against selling Martin Odegaard in the summer as Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi will suffer from his exit.
The Gunners are having a brilliant season in the Premier League with Mikel Arteta’s side currently nine points clear at the summit, although second-placed Manchester City do have a game in hand.
Arsenal could even win an unprecedented Quadruple as they are in the final of the League Cup this weekend, while they are still competing for the FA Cup and Champions League.
Odegaard’s influence has been on the wane this season, especially in recent weeks with Eberechi Eze preferred to the Norway international, who has contributed one goals and six assists in 27 appearances in all competitions.
And a recent report in the Daily Telegraph listed Odegaard as one of the top options to sell in the summer as Arsenal need to offload one big star after last year’s spend of over £250m.
But former Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar has insisted that it would be “dangerous” to sell Odegaard as both Rice and Zubimendi would suffer from his absence.
READ: Arsenal sixth as deepest Quadruple runs ever ranked, with sweary Guardiola in sight
Limpar told FruityKing: “It would be dangerous for Arsenal to sell Martin Odegaard.
“The other players rely on him so much. The way he shows for the ball and dictates games, who is he taking the pressure off?
“Declan Rice and that lets Declan Rice do his stuff. He takes the pressure off Martin Zubimendi too.
“Suddenly Odegaard, the playmaker, is out. So the players look to Declan Rice. He is an engine but he is not a player who will make 20 assists with his passing. Zubimendi is not that player either.
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“They are the link players between defence and attack. Odegaard is the playmaker. He makes the other players better. He makes Zubimendi and Declan Rice better.
“It’s not fair what people say about Odegaard. To say that he’s been a bad player or we need to sell him, no, I don’t think so.”
Odegaard is attempting to return to fitness in time for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday with the Premier League sides vying for the first domestic silverware of the season.
Speakin on Monday against Odegaard’s fitness, Arsenal boss Arteta replied: “We’re really.
“He really wants to try to be available, but we’ll have to wait and see in the next few days when he trains with the team how he feels.”
