Martin Odegaard praised the influence of Mikel Arteta after completing his short-term transfer to Arsenal yesterday.
The Norwegian joins the club on-loan from Real Madrid without an option to make the transfer permanent, however, it’s being reported that the Gunners will discuss any further opportunities with Los Blancos in the summer.
Speaking to Arsenal.com, the Norway international claimed the Spanish coach was a big reason for his move to north London.
Odegaard said: “I spoke to him before coming here, of course. That was very important for me and he seems like a top manager and I liked his ideas, the way he sees football and also the way he is. He gave me a great feeling and that was important for me to come here. He was crucial.” (via Arsenal)
Growing up players used to pick Arsenal as a club of their choice solely down to the influence of Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman was part and parcel of the club given how drastically he changed the culture and the style of football upon his arrival in September 1996.
The most famous of any player to ever join Arsenal under the club’s greatest manager was, of course, Thierry Henry. It was claimed by the club’s record goalscorer that Wenger influenced his decision by telling him he’d play for the Gunners and upfront. As a matter of fact, Henry claimed that he didn’t know if any of Arsenal’s French contingent from the late 90s early 2000s would’ve been at the club had it not been for the former AS Monaco manager.
It’s nice to see the apple hasn’t fallen from the tree with regards to Arteta and how influential he can be in transfers. Odegaard’s comments hints that Arteta has a great influence during personal conversations with transfer targets, a nifty trait he must’ve inherited from his former manager.
In other news, consistency is key for this star after back-to-back performances against Southampton.
