The number 10 shirt at Arsenal could have a new bearer as Martin Odegaard’s arrival from Real Madrid inches closer to completion.
Number 10 for Odegaard
Arsenal fans are awaiting the arrival of Norwegian attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid. Arsenal had reportedly agreed to take the 22-year old on loan for the rest of the season as cover for their centre attacking midfield position.
Arteta’s call to Ødegaard completely changed the negotiation. Arsenal immediatly became Martin’s priority over R. Sociedad.
The two clubs are working to finalize the deal. Ødegaard is waiting. 🇳🇴
He was convinced by…
– Game time
– #AFC plans
– Chance to show skills in the EPL https://t.co/BYKmUygL3c— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 24, 2021
Currently, Arsenal only have Emile Smith-Rowe who can play in the number 10 role naturally. Mikel Arteta does have other options in the form of Bukayo Saka, Willian and Joe Willock who have all played there, however, playing an orthodox style midfielder in the position would provide Arsenal with much more fluidity and synergy.
Prior to Smith-Rowe being selected into the Arsenal line-up for the match against Chelsea, Arsenal had looked completely devoid of all central creativity in the final third. They recorded their first loss since their Boxing Day victory with the 1-0 defeat at Southampton, which unsurprisingly saw Smith-Rowe rested by the Spanish coach leaving Arsenal lacking in creative quality.
With Mesut Ozil now leaving the club, the number 10 shirt has been made available. With Odegaard the natural choice coming into the club as the most senior player for the position, it has been suggested that the Norwegian could take the famous number previously worn by Ozil, Jack Wilshere and Dennis Bergkamp.
The loan fee & wages
Furthermore, another attractive part of the deal to bring Odegaard to Arsenal is that of the minimal financial impact it will have on the club.
Arsenal have been able to move on more than just Ozil in the January window with William Saliba and Sead Kolasinac both departing the club on loan. With the termination of Sokratis’ contract also adding to the amount of money saved by the Gunners.
Papastathopoulos leaves Arsenal – contract cancelled, free to decide his next club. 🇬🇷
Key move for #AFC. The mission was to sell/loan out Özil, Sokratis, Saliba, Kolasinac. Now it’s time to sign the new midfielder [re Buendia: one of the options, no official bid yet]. 🔴
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 20, 2021
Taking the four players into consideration and the possibility that Ozil could forego his ~£7 million wages for his contract to be terminated, Arsenal are reportedly only spending around £2.5 million to bring in Odegaard.
A loan fee of £1.8 million plus his full £38,000 wages will be all that it takes for him to join.
This presents as shrewd business by a club which has overspent on players who have been unable to match their fee or wages. Nicolas Pepe, Willian, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis, Kolasinac and David Luiz to name but a few have not justified their wage packets or transfer fees.
Arsenal have needed to be savvier in the market and this could be a continuation of the moves for Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney, Gabriel Martinelli and the recent acquisition of Mat Ryan.
MOLDE, NORWAY – NOVEMBER 26: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal takes on Hussain Etzaz of Molde during the UEFA Europa League Group B stage match between Molde FK and Arsenal FC at Molde Stadion on November 26, 2020 in Molde, Norway. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Had they chosen to splash out on a permanent signing this January, should it have failed, it would have severely impacted their summer spending. However, this loan move for Odegaard enables not only Arsenal to choose their path in the summer more freely, but also to have a period to assess the Norwegian himself as a possible option for a more permanent situation.
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Manchester United FC | 19 | 11 | 40 |
| 2 | Manchester City FC | 18 | 18 | 38 |
| 3 | Leicester City FC | 19 | 14 | 38 |
| 4 | Liverpool FC | 19 | 15 | 34 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 18 | 16 | 33 |
| 6 | Everton FC | 17 | 7 | 32 |
| 7 | West Ham United FC | 19 | 5 | 32 |
| 8 | Chelsea FC | 19 | 10 | 29 |
| 9 | Southampton FC | 18 | 5 | 29 |
| 10 | Arsenal FC | 19 | 4 | 27 |
| 11 | Aston Villa FC | 16 | 11 | 26 |
| 12 | Leeds United | 18 | -4 | 23 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace FC | 19 | -11 | 23 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers FC | 19 | -8 | 22 |
| 15 | Newcastle United FC | 18 | -12 | 19 |
| 16 | Burnley FC | 18 | -12 | 19 |
| 17 | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 19 | -7 | 17 |
| 18 | Fulham FC | 18 | -12 | 12 |
| 19 | West Bromwich Albion | 19 | -28 | 11 |
| 20 | Sheffield United FC | 19 | -22 | 5 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 13 |
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 12 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 11 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 11 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 11 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 10 |
| Zaha, Wilfried | Crystal Palace FC | 8 |
| Wilson, Callum | Newcastle United FC | 8 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 7 |
| Watkins, Ollie | Aston Villa FC | 7 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 7 |
| Lacazette, Alexandre | Arsenal FC | 7 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 6 |
| Maddison, James | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Barnes, Harvey | Leicester City FC | 6 |
| Abraham, Tammy | Chelsea FC | 6 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 5 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 5 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellerin, Hector | Arsenal FC | 0 | 6 |
| Gallagher, Conor | West Bromwich Albion | 0 | 6 |
| Bissouma, Yves | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 5 |
| Egan, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 5 |
| Hayden, Isaac | Newcastle United FC | 0 | 6 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Reid, Bobby | Fulham FC | 0 | 5 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Romeu, Oriol | Southampton FC | 0 | 5 |
| Dunk, Lewis | Brighton & Hove Albion FC | 1 | 4 |
| Phillips, Kalvin | Leeds United | 0 | 5 |
| Cash, Matty | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 5 |
| Evans, Jonny | Leicester City FC | 0 | 5 |
| Lundstram, John | Sheffield United FC | 1 | 4 |
| Kante, N`Golo | Chelsea FC | 0 | 5 |
| Milivojevic, Luka | Crystal Palace FC | 1 | 4 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 0 | 4 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 0 | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 0 | 4 |
| Tielemans, Youri | Leicester City FC | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Kane, Harry | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 11 |
| De Bruyne, Kevin | Manchester City FC | 9 |
| Grealish, Jack | Aston Villa FC | 8 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United FC | 7 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur FC | 6 |
| Rashford, Marcus | Manchester United FC | 5 |
| Robertson, Andrew | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Digne, Lucas | Everton FC | 5 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City FC | 4 |
| Ward-Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Werner, Timo | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| Adams, Che | Southampton FC | 4 |
| Harrison, Jack | Leeds United | 4 |
| Chilwell, Benjamin | Chelsea FC | 4 |
| McGinn, John | Aston Villa FC | 4 |
| Cresswell, Aaron | West Ham United FC | 4 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Ings, Danny | Southampton FC | 3 |
| Sterling, Raheem | Manchester City FC | 3 |
| Firmino, Roberto | Liverpool FC | 3 |