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‘I think Fabregas’: £36m-rated ace lists former Gunners captain as idol

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Martin Odegaard has listed former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas as his ‘idol’ after completing his loan move to north London.

The Norwegian joins the club on a deal until the end of the season from Spanish champions Real Madrid after playing just 367 minutes of first-team football in the first half of the season.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, the playmaker claimed that he idolised the Spaniard growing up as he professed his love for the club.

Odegaard said: “I always liked the way Arsenal played and everything about the club. So it’s a dream come true in many ways. There were a lot [of Arsenal players I admired]. But I think Fabregas, for me, was one of my idols when I grew up. So especially him.” (via Arsenal)

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If the midfielder can perform to the same standard as the former Gunners captain, Mikel Arteta may have secured one of the bargains of the season.

Odegaard has shown he can perform to a similar level that Fabregas did during his time with Real Sociedad last season, where he was a goal contributing juggernaut. The 22-year-old scored seven goals and assisted a further nine across just 36 games in all competitions.

The AS Monaco man was known for his attacking output during his time at the Emirates Stadium with his most successful season seeing him contribute 39 goals in 37 games across all competitions.

However, Odegaard also possesses brilliant playmaking quality which highlights shades of the former Barcelona midfielder within his game. With the Basque outfit, the £36m-rated Madrid loanee averaged two key passes and almost two long balls per game. His range of passing is similar to the diminutive Spaniard who had a stunning passing ability during his younger years.

Fabregas isn’t a bad player to be modelling your game on especially when you’re a talented central midfield player. Odegaard has miles to go before he even reaches his levels, but should he, Arsenal would have a gem on their hands.

In other news, these are three sets of players Odegaard would benefit.

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